If a female college freshman lives with an overweight roommate, she is less likely to gain weight, according to a new study from the University of Michigan.
The average female gains between 2.5 and six pounds during her freshman year. However, girls in the new study with overweight roommates added only a half a pound, compared to those with slim roommates, who gained an average of three pounds.
"It's not really the weight of your roommate that's important, but the behaviors your roommate engages in," said lead author Dr. Kandice Kapinos. "These behaviors are what may really be 'contagious.'"
Dr. Kapinos and her colleagues studied 144 randomly-assigned roommates, asking them about how much they weigh, their heights, and whether they diet to lose weight. Overweight women tended to diet and use the gymnasium more often.
"Previous studies have suggested that having an obese spouse, friend or sibling increases one's likelihood of being obese," Dr. Kapinos said. "But these relationships are obviously not random. People pick their friends and spouses, and they often select people who are similar to themselves. And even though we don't pick our siblings, we share a genetic inheritance and an early environment that may influence adult weight."
The study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Health Economists.
Labels: colleges
Posted By: Aspen Education Group
