Peer pressure is one of the most effective tools of influence developed by humankind probably at a time when our race figured out that it had to stick around in groups to ensure that it survived to see another day in the vast and dangerous wilderness. Therefore peer pressure is a dominating force, both in positive and negative ways. Fast forward to the present times and you will still witness many examples of peer pressure on a daily basis. A few years back researchers found out that positive peer pressure in teens helped young kids exercise more and remain active. One cannot help but wonder how such a basic utility of peer influence could have missed the eyes of adults. Nevertheless, we now know that parents and teachers can help their kids develop healthy habits by introducing them to an active group of friends.

The Bliss Of Peer Pressure

Sabina Gesell, a research assistant professor in pediatrics at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine, and her fellow researchers published their reports in the journal Pediatric, on the positive impact of peer pressure on children. The scientists studied a network of friends falling in the age group of 5 to 12 and the study was conducted on these children in an after-school program. One of the primary reasons for conducting this study was to record muscle movements of kids on a pedometer-like device, and through this process the researchers kept track of the physical activity of kids over a period of 12 weeks.

Gesell and her colleagues made sure that the kids who were put under observation did not know each other well for the sole reason that it would help the researchers track the social habits of kids by following a credible system. The researchers were also curious about how a change in relationship among these children affected their physical activity levels.

Surprise, Surprise!

The influence of peer groups on children was better understood with the above mentioned research after the scientists found out that the amount of time children spent on moderate to vigorous physical activities was directly related to the level of activity of their four to six closest friends. As a result of the study, the researchers also found that those children who hung around with active children were more likely to increase their physical activity to match the fitness level of their respective friend circle. A 10% increase in exercise was noted in the daily routine of children who befriended physically active kids. In contrast, students who made friends with sedentary children saw a decrease in their physical activity as time gradually passed. These revelations are not surprising because these challenge the long held perceptions of responsible adults about peer pressure activities being completely negative to its core.

“We see evidence that the children are mirroring, emulating or adjusting to be similar to their friends,” says Gesell. “And that’s exciting because we saw meaningful changes in activity levels in 12 weeks.”

Inexpensive Solution To An Expensive Problem

This and other related research into the positive aspect of peer pressure has generated many new ideas about how helping children bring healthy changes in their lifestyles. A couple of years after the research was conducted, many experts have acknowledged the fact that spreading the idea about the positive influence of peer pressure among children is the most inexpensive way to help children make amendments to their lifestyle and adopt a more healthy approach towards life. The entire system works on the idea of kids imitating and mirroring the behavior of other children to align their habits with those of the larger peer group.

Similar researches into the positive impact of peer pressure are being further conducted to throw more light on this previously hidden for peer influence. Since the entire research was conducted on the topic of obesity and physical activity among children, Gesell had this to say about the positive influence of a peer group on a child, “This is a novel approach to obesity prevention … None of the approaches to combating obesity are really working now, and we need a new approach. The social environment does carry more power than we have given it credit for, so we should leverage that intentionally.”

Parents and teachers should lay more stress on supporting active networking among children and provide them with the chance to live a healthier life.