According to a reputable research study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine yesterday, yes it is! But hold on now, don’t panic. Before you pull out your hazmat suit, you’ll be relieved to know that your body is already built with antibodies to fight off this epidemic…it’s called self-awareness and will power.

That’s right. Just because a 32-year study says that you’re more likely to be obese if your best friend is doesn’t mean that it validates your lifestyle or diet. I know it’s easy to say “there’s nothing I can do about it because it’s been scientifically proven that my chances of being obese are high,” but keep in mind that it only says that you are predisposed, NOT to be mistaken with predestined.

It does explain a few things though, as psychologist Dr. Cheryl Fraser elaborates on in the video. You can’t fix it if you don’t know what’s broke, so hopefully this will help you identify the root cause of your problem and better equip you to fight it.

To learn more about Dr. Cheryl Fraser, click here.