The study by the Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Centre and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University found that participants in a team-based weight-loss competition not only lost a similar amount of weight as their comrades, but those who said their teammates played a large role in their weight loss shed the most fat.
We know that obesity can be socially contagious, but now we know that social networks play a significant role in weight loss as well, particularly team-based weight loss competitions, said lead author Dr Tricia Leahey.
