Researchers at Harvard University recently completed a study in which they measured the relationship between a girl's weight gain and her perception of her popularity. They found a surprising connection.
"...all of the girls had gained weight - no surprise, since they were all growing. But teens who had rated themselves at four or lower had gained more. In fact, girls who thought they were low in the social pecking order were at a 70 percent higher risk of gaining excess weight. The extra weight averaged about 11 pounds, or a two-point increase in BMI scores."
The study appears to indicate that educating young people about healthy living and the dangers of obesity can be undermined by "social variables" at school. They suggested that parents encourage their kids' participation in group activities and development of a healthy social network.
Labels: girls, popularity, social_networks