Apr 27, 2021 A newstudyfrom Massachusetts General Hospital found that people tend to mirror the eating habits of those in their social circle. Basically, if you’re out to eat with friends or co-workers and they order healthy food, you do too. And if your friends are ordering a bunch of junk food, you tend to eat that instead. “We found that individuals tend to mirror the food choices of others in their social circles, which may explain one way obesity spreads through social networks,” says Douglas Levy, PhD.