In a previous blog, we described a study that showed that adults who have obese friends and family members are more likely to become obese. Well, a new study shows that this may be true in kids, too!  

Researchers from The State University of New York at Buffalo found that some social factors, such as the presence of friends, may put overweight children at greater risk of overeating (which may contribute to increases in weight). In their study, researchers paired both normal weight and overweight children with a friend or an unfamiliar person and put them in a room filled with games, puzzles, low-calorie snacks (baby carrots, grapes), and high-calorie snacks (cookies, potato chips) for 45 minutes. The children were told they could eat as much or as little as they wanted.

Results showed that all children who were in the room with a friend ate more food than children who were in a room with an unfamiliar person. Likewise, friends were more likely to eat similar amounts than children paired with a stranger. Additionally, overweight children who were paired with an overweight peer, whether friend or stranger, ate more than the overweight children who were paired with a normal weight child.

Thus, while you can teach your child to make healthy food choices, his/her friends (as well as other social and environmental factors) will likely influence his/her behaviors. And if your child is already overweight, eating with other overweight friends may give him/her "permission" to eat more or may reinforce unhealthy "norms" in terms of amounts or types of foods.  

Given peer influence on eating and so many other behaviors, maybe more research should be done on how friends can promote positive eating and physical activity behaviors to friends. Parents, teachers, and coaches might experiment with this idea by encouraging children who have healthy habits to share them (e.g., healthy meal/snack ideas) with their friends.

¹Salvy, S-J (2009). The presence of friends increases food intake in youth. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 90, 282-287.