Can social networking help you lose weight?  Can being social
help you lose weight?  It has been known for years that the
likelihood of being overweight increases among family members,
most likely due to a combination of living together and sharing
the same gene pool. However, the New England Journal of Medicine
has published a study that reveals that social relationships
have an even more powerful impact on weight gain.  The impact of
social relationships on weight gain  The association of obesity
among friends, spouses, siblings and neighbours over a 32-year
period was evaluated in more than 12,000 people. The researchers
found that friends had the greatest impact on becoming obese and
that the type of friendship made a difference. For example,a
close,mutual friendship resulted in a 171% increased risk of
obesity, while a one-way friendship increased the chances by
57%. These findings contrast with a 40% increased risk among
siblings and 37% between spouses.  Friendships are so
influential, in fact that the