Identifying Mechanisms of Peer Influence on Youth Weight-Related Behaviors

Abstract

Understanding the social clustering of health outcomes among adolescents, aiming to identify peer influence on health behaviors such as physical activity, screen time, and dietary patterns.

Topic
Agent-based modeling
Social network analysis

Project Details

The purpose of this study is to understand the social clustering of health outcomes among adolescents, aiming to identify peer influence on health behaviors such as physical activity, screen time, and dietary patterns. We are observing and modeling the coevolution of health behavior and social networks among students in four urban middle schools over a three year period. We examine ten kinds of networks, including friendships, social interaction, interpersonal sentiments, and shared involvement in classes, teams, clubs, and neighborhoods. A deeper understanding of social dynamics in these schools will inform future interventions to promote healthy behavior.

Funding: National Institutes of Health (NIH)/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, $3,062,718.