Posts Tagged ‘social environment’

Does the Environment or the Food Explain Obesity in Italy?

July 6, 2025 — In the midst of a lot of blather that assigns magical medical properties to food, its downright refreshing to read reflections from Tamar Haspel on the nature of food in Italy – and how people enjoy their food in that country. It is the food environment in Italy, not the food itself, that seems to […]

Will There Be a “Contagion Effect” of GLP-1s in Families?

June 13, 2025 — Thoughtful reporting by Jackie Snow in the New York Times prompts us to wonder about the possibility of a “contagion effect” from GLP-1s in families. When a parent receives highly effective treatment for obesity, what might the effect be on other family members? Of course, any answers to this question come from anecdotal observations. They […]

Food, Family, and Gratitude in Play at Thanksgiving

November 23, 2023 — If we grant that this is the year of Ozempic, then perhaps the flood of stories about how Ozempic will mix with the food-focused holiday of Thanksgiving should not surprise us. Will it throw us all off because it robs us of a “food orgy” as the AP suggests? Or will we find a better […]

The Social Dimension of Physical Activity

November 28, 2022 — How important is the social dimension of physical activity? Recent modeling research published in PLOS One suggests that it’s critical. Ensela Mema and colleagues developed a mathematical model to estimate both social and non-social influences on physical activity across the population. They found that social influences were critical for maintaining physical activity or reducing sedentary […]