A model of social influence on body mass index. (14th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hammond, Ross A.; Ornstein, Joseph T.
• Other Names: Dubé Laurette guestEditor.; Webb Patrick guestEditor.; Arora Narendra K. guestEditor.; Pingalid Prabhu guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Volume 1331(2014)
• Page Start: 34
• Page End: 42
• Publication Date: 2014-02-14
• Subjects: social influence -- agent‐based modeling -- body weight norms -- obesity; Medical sciences -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12344
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0077-8923

Abstract

Abstract : In this paper, we develop an agent‐based model of social influence on body weight. The model's assumptions are grounded in theory and evidence from physiology, social psychology, and behavioral science, and its outcomes are tested against longitudinal data from American youth. We discuss the implementation of the model, the insights it generates, and its implications for public health policy. By explicating a well‐grounded dynamic mechanism, our analysis helps clarify important dependencies for both efforts to leverage social influence for obesity intervention and efforts to interpret clustering of BMI in networks.