>Your friends and family may be having a negative effect on your diet without even realizing it. Hinterhaus Productions/Getty ImagesNew research has highlighted how negative social support can hinder weight loss journeys.Acts including sabotage, feeding, and collusion can play a detrimental role.Social support can contribute to positive weight loss outcomes.Around 42% of Americans experience obesity, and this number continues to rise. However, many of these individuals try to lose weight נwith data revealing almost 70% of adults living with obesity take action to shed the pounds.Many people on a weight loss journey rely on their partner, family, and friends for encouragement. Previous studies have highlighted how ӰositiveԠsupport נsuch as a partner also adopting a healthier diet נcan influence weight loss outcomes.Unfortunately, not all support and input from loved ones is beneficial.New research from the University of Surrey, UK, published in Current Obesity Reports, found that friends and family can purposefully engage in behaviors to sabotage weight loss attempts among individuals living with obesityThe influences of family and friendsTo understand the role loved ones can play in othersҠweight loss journies, the researchers reviewed various existing study findings relating to the topic. They saw that positive weight loss results could arise from strong social support. For instance, self-esteem boosting, giving advice, and accompanying individuals to doctorҳ appointments all lead to more significant and sustained outcomes.ȯwever, they also recognized that family and friends might (albeit sometimes unintentionally) engage in behaviors that derail a personҳ attempts to lead a...Continue reading