SYG-1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 38: Framingham Heart Study, Longitudinal Study, Social Integration
Health & Disease
Spread of Obesity Through Social Networks
Framingham Heart Study: sample of 12,067 people assessed from 1971-2003 in three year
intervals. Longitudinal study to examine whether weight gain in one person in associated with
weight gain in his/her friends, siblings, spouse, & neighbors.
Obesity Epidemic – the person to person spread of obesity
A persos chances of becoming obese increased by 57% if he/she had a friend who became
obese in a given interval.
Among pairs of adult siblings, if one sibling became obese, the chances that the other would
become obese increased by 40%.
If oes spouse became obese, the, likelihood that the other spouse would become obese
increased by 37%.
SOCIAL TIES & SPREAD OF OBESITY
Social ties seem to play a role in the spread of obesity, which is a biologic & behavioral trait.
The closeness of friendship is relevant to the spread of obesity. Persons in closer, mutual
friendships have more of an effect on each other than in other types of friendships.
Whereas increasing social distance appeared to decrease the effect of an alter on an ego (in
terms of obesity spreading), increasing geographic distance did not. So, results suggest, that
social distance plays a stronger role than geographic distance in the spread of behaviors or
norms associated with obesity.
INFLUENCE OF FRIENDSHIP TIES ON OBESITY IS DIRECTIONAL
If an ego (X) stated that an alter (Y) was his/ her friend, i.e. (X claims Y as friend), the egos (X)
chances of becoming obese appeared to increase by 57% if the alter (Y) became obese.
Between mutual friends (X and Y claim each other as friends, the egos risk of oesity increased
by 171% if an alter became obese.
There was no statistically significant relationship when the friendship was perceived by the alter
but not by the ego.
Key take away – Influence of friendship ties appears to be directional.
SPREAD OF OBESITY AMONG SIBLINGS & COUPLES
Among pairs of adult siblings, oe siligs hae of becoming obese increased by 40% if the
other sibling became obese. More marked among siblings of same sex (among brothers this
was 44%; among sisters this was 67%) than among siblings of opposite sex (27%).
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Document Summary
Framingham heart study: sample of 12,067 people assessed from 1971-2003 in three year intervals. Longitudinal study to examine whether weight gain in one person in associated with weight gain in his/her friends, siblings, spouse, & neighbors. Obesity epidemic the person to person spread of obesity. A perso(cid:374)(cid:859)s chances of becoming obese increased by 57% if he/she had a friend who became obese in a given interval. Among pairs of adult siblings, if one sibling became obese, the chances that the other would become obese increased by 40%. If o(cid:374)e(cid:859)s spouse became obese, the, likelihood that the other spouse would become obese increased by 37%. Social ties seem to play a role in the spread of obesity, which is a biologic & behavioral trait. The closeness of friendship is relevant to the spread of obesity. Persons in closer, mutual friendships have more of an effect on each other than in other types of friendships.
