Can Having Overweight Friends Make You Obese Too?

New research suggests obesity may spread through social networks like a virus, and your friends can even live hundreds of miles away! I can’t help it – it’s in my genes. That’s been the surrender slogan for many overweight and obese individuals for years. And who could blame them? Even many doctors and researchers believed your ability to lose weight – or pack on pounds – was a function of your genetic make-up.