(Maria Cohut/ Medical New Today) — Many of us take the steps to shed those extra pounds because we want to live a healthier life or fit into our favorite outfit again. But could our efforts actually bring health benefits to our loved ones, too?
Finally enrolling in that weight loss program or adopting a more balanced diet is something we may want to do not just for our own sake, but for the benefit of our partners, too.
And no, that’s not just because your significant other will enjoy being with a fitter partner.
Turns out that we may be natural influencers — at least when it comes to the people we share our lives with — so that when we make more healthful choices, our partners will likely feel compelled to follow in our footsteps.
That’s what Prof. Amy Gorin and colleagues — from the University of Connecticut in Mansfield — observed following a study that they recently conducted on several couples in which one of the partners committed to a weight loss initiative.
“When one person changes their behavior, the people around them change,” notes Prof. Gorin, qualifying this tendency as a “ripple effect.” (…)