Almost daily, we see a study claiming that our genes are responsible for everything from physical ailments to psychological dispositions. There’s a fine line between the discovery of a potential root cause for our issues and blame-shifting.
Similar friends may spread healthy behaviors
Where does genetics end and our responsibility for our own circumstances begin? For instance, a recent study suggests that the company we keep has everything to do with our health; friends with healthy habits tend to rub off on us just as much as those with unhealthy habits:
Networks of people who know each other can spread the good (happiness) and the bad (obesity, STDs and loneliness).
But it’s not just any social network that propagates behaviors and diseases. New research published in the journal Science suggests that having social network contacts of similar gender, weight and body-mass index could help people pick up on healthy behaviors.
Does this mean we can use our friends as an excuse for why we’re unhealthy, and likewise are they responsible for our healthy habits?
Sources:
Gene could be factor in frequent cold sores
Similar friends may spread healthy behaviors
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