Family members of people who follow the Mediterranean diet switch to healthy eating and lose weight, even if they do not receive special recommendations. Scientists described this effect in the International Journal of Obesity.
8530
Halo effect
The halo effect or halo effect is the appearance in a person of a positive opinion about a certain product (or company, brand) due to the influence of someone else's opinion. This phenomenon is often talked about in a negative way. For example, when influenced, people may overestimate the benefits of certain foods. However, the halo effect also has positive sides. The study showed that if one spouse begins to actively struggle with excess weight, then the second usually also gets involved and loses kilograms.
The beneficial halo effect of the Mediterranean diet
In a new scientific work, Spanish scientists analyzed the areola effect in a situation where one of the members families are trying to lose weight using the Mediterranean diet and exercise.
The Mediterranean diet is one of the most studied eating patterns. It contains:
- predominates: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes;
- present: low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, nuts;
- limited: added sugar, sugary drinks, salt, refined carbohydrates, red and processed meat.
The authors of the new study write that obesity is characterized by the formation of family clusters. They hypothesized that one family member's participation in a weight loss program could affect the lifestyle and weight of the rest of the family.
The study involved 148 people who were part of a large obesity study. The weight loss program included a Mediterranean diet and exercise.
Relatives of people who actively struggled with excess weight lost 1.25 kilograms more weight in the first year of the study than participants in the control group, none of whom participated in the anti-obesity program. By the second year, this difference in weight loss was 4 kilograms. The effect was stronger if family members ate together or if a participant in the weight loss program did the cooking.
“The effect was transmitted to family members. Fortunately, this was a positive effect that led to improved dietary habits,” said Albert Goday from the Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition at Hospital del Mar in Barcelona.
“In addition to weight loss, there was an increase in adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which has many beneficial health effects, including protection against cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases,” said Olga Castanier. Castañer) from Del Mar Hospital.
However, it turned out that only diet has a “contagious” effect. In contrast, physical activity was not “passed on” to relatives from participants in the weight loss program.
In the study's conclusions, scientists emphasized that the “contagiousness” of diet can play a big role in reducing the prevalence of obesity.