Research

Our evidence-based program builds on a growing body of groundbreaking research including studies how health behaviors spread within a social network.

A statewide intervention reduces BMI in adults: Shape Up Rhode Island results

A study in Obesity shows that participants in our sister program achieve clinically significant weight loss by working together on teams. View ›

Working on Wellness

Shape Up The Nation is part of an ongoing $3.2 million worksite wellness research program funded by the National Institutes of Health. View ›

The Spread of Obesity in a Large Social Network over 32 Years

“Smoking– and alcohol cessation programs and weight–loss interventions that provide peer support — that is, that modify the person’s social network — are more successful than those that do not. People are connected, and so their health is connected.” — Christakis NA, Fowler JH.N Engl J Med. 2007 Jul 26 View ›

The collective dynamics of smoking in a large social network

“Cessation of smoking in one person appears to be highly relevant to the smoking behavior of others nearby in the social network.” — Christakis NA, Fowler JH.N Engl J Med. 2008 May 22 View ›

Dynamic spread of happiness in a large social network: longitudinal analysis over 20 years in the Framingham Heart Study

“People’s happiness depends on the happiness of others to whom they are connected. This provides further justification for seeing happiness, like health, as a collective phenomenon.” — Fowler JH, Christakis NA.BMJ. 2008 Dec 4 View ›