The need to take a daily run might be something that spreads person-to-person, new research shows.

How much people run can depend to a certain extent on their responses to other people's running, according to the findings from the analysis of social network data worldwide, The New York Times reported.

The results of the study in the journal Nature Communications also suggest that if you want to improve your running performance, it might be a good idea to become virtual friends with people who are a bit slower.

The researchers concluded that "running can be socially contagious," said study leader Sinan Aral, professor of management, MIT, The Times reported.

"In general, if you run more, it is likely that you can cause your friends to run more," Aral said.