Leveraging social influence to address overweight and obesity using agent-based models: the role of adolescent social networks Journal Article

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Authors: Zhang, J; Tong, L.; Lamberson, P. J.; Durazo-Arvizu, R. A.; Luke, A; Shoham, D. A.
Article Title: Leveraging social influence to address overweight and obesity using agent-based models: the role of adolescent social networks
Abstract: The prevalence of adolescent overweight and obesity (hereafter, simply "overweight") in the US has increased over the past several decades. Individually-targeted prevention and treatment strategies targeting individuals have been disappointing, leading some to propose leveraging social networks to improve interventions. We hypothesized that social network dynamics (social marginalization; homophily on body mass index, BMI) and the strength of peer influence would increase or decrease the proportion of network member (agents) becoming overweight over a simulated year, and that peer influence would operate differently in social networks with greater overweight. We built an agent-based model (ABM) using results from R-SIENA. ABMs allow for the exploration of potential interventions using simulated agents. Initial model specifications were drawn from Wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). We focused on a single saturation school with complete network and BMI data over two waves (n = 624). The model was validated against empirical observations at Wave 2. We focused on overall overweight prevalence after a simulated year. Five experiments were conducted: (1) changing attractiveness of high-BMI agents; (2) changing homophily on BMI; (3) changing the strength of peer influence; (4) shifting the overall BMI distribution; and (5) targeting dietary interventions to highly connected individuals. Increasing peer influence showed a dramatic decrease in the prevalence of overweight; making peer influence negative (i.e., doing the opposite of friends) increased overweight. However, the effect of peer influence varied based on the underlying distribution of BMI; when BMI was increased overall, stronger peer influence increased proportion of overweight. Other interventions, including targeted dieting, had little impact. Peer influence may be a viable target in overweight interventions, but the distribution of body size in the population needs to be taken into account. In low-obesity populations, strengthening peer influence may be a useful strategy.
Journal Title: Social science medicine
Volume: 125
ISSN: 1873-5347; 0277-9536
Publisher: Elsevier Inc  
Journal Place: England
Date Published: 2015
Start Page: 203
End Page: 213
Language: eng
DOI/URL:

10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.05.049
Notes: LR: 20150227; CI: Copyright (c) 2014; GR: 1U48DP001946/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United States; GR: P01 HD031921/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States; GR: P01-HD31921/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States; GR: R01 HD061978/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States; GR: R01-HD-061978-0109/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States; GR: U48/DP00064-00S1/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United States; JID: 8303205; NIHMS607519; OID: NLM: NIHMS607519 [Available on 01/01/16]; OID: NLM: PMC4306600 [Available on 01/01/16]; OTO: NOTNLM; PMCR: 2016/01/01 00:00; 2013/06/08 [received]; 2014/05/25 [revised]; 2014/05/29 [accepted]; 2014/06/02 [aheadofprint]; ppublish