We know that friends can be rude or supportive, and as a result they can magnify how we already feel about our bodies. This is certainly true for women friends. A new study suggests that not only can friends can make us feel better about ourselves no matter what our size they also influence what we think. This includes the conversations that surround our bodies (such as the "I feel so fat" comments some women make to their friends) and even how we eat. A study by Ohio State found that "Women who feel accepted like their body more."
The study also found that more often than not, family members are the ones to give us a jab or two when it comes to our body, and that can leave us with scars that go on for years. All the more reason to seek out positive friends who lift us up, isn't it?
In fact, whenever I see a study like this one, I tend to think once again of all the people in my life I've given the benefit of the doubt to who turned out to be more frenemy than friend. It's not always dramatic or over the top when we have a friend who has behaved in a nasty way. Sometimes it consists of little digs over time, or just someone that never seems to care about us when we need them to. Studies like this remind me of how important it is to keep good people in your life.