6 ways your siblings affect your health

Here's how

Whether you’re best buds or can’t be in the same room without arguing, there’s no question that you and your siblings share a lifelong bond. Friends come and go, but your siblings are there for the long haul. And you’re around them a lot. So it makes sense that your siblings help mold the person you become.

Compiled from Time magazine, here is a list of six ways siblings can affect your health.

1. They can influence your weight

While it’s well known that obesity can run in families, research suggests that siblings can play an especially important role when it comes to your waistline. In a 2014 study, researchers from Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University discovered that in families in which the older child was obese, the younger child had a fivefold greater chance of also being obese (regardless of whether the parents were obese). The authors of the study believe this is partly due to the fact that younger siblings tend to model their diet and lifestyle after their big brother or sister.



2. They shape your character

Much has been written about deidentification, when two siblings (usually close in age) either consciously or unconsciously create separate identities for themselves. “Through deidentification processes, siblings are thought to develop distinct attributes and engage in different activities and behaviors in order to establish their unique identities within the family,” write the authors of a 2007 study published in Social Development.

For example, if your sister was a track star, you might have focused on academics. If your brother was quiet and shy, maybe you made an effort to be more outgoing. One study found that deidentification is more common in families with two children. In families with three children, it’s more likely to occur among same-sex siblings rather than opposite-sex siblings.

3. They’re your earliest teachers

Siblings also help each other learn how to navigate social situations. “Siblings provide daily practice in understanding the minds of others,” writes Jonathan Caspi, PhD, in his book, Sibling Development. Strong sibling bonds have been found to help kids successfully connect with their peers at school. And having a brother or sister of the opposite sex could even give you a boost in the dating world.



In a now classic study published in 1983, psychologist William Ickes, PhD, revealed that college students who had an opposite-sex sibling found it easier to make conversation with potential romantic partners. “If you are a girl with an older brother or a boy with an older sister, you should thank them for whatever romantic success you’ve had,” Ickes recently joked in an interview with Parade.

4. They may save your marriage

Believe it or not, being part of a big family may make you less likely to get divorced. “Having more siblings means more experience dealing with others, and that seems to provide additional help in dealing with a marriage relationship as an adult,” study Donna Bobbitt-Zeher, researcher at Ohio State University.

5. They could up your odds of depression

While it’s natural for siblings to squabble, what you fought over could have major health implications. In a 2012 University of Missouri study, researchers discovered that siblings who typically quarreled about issues of equality or fairness experienced higher levels of depression a year later; while siblings who fought over personal space had a greater risk of developing anxiety or low self-esteem. Although this study focused on adolescents between ages 12 and 15, other research suggests that a troubled sibling relationship might have repercussions well into adulthood.



6. But they can boost your happiness, too

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that having a warm, conflict-free relationship with your siblings is a very good thing. Close sibling connections are frequently associated with lower levels of loneliness and depression, and higher levels of self-esteem. In his book, Caspi discusses the important sibling support systems that are formed in childhood: “Even in infancy, siblings reliably turn to older siblings for comfort during times of stress,” he writes.

Have something to add in the story? Share it in the comments below.