Jen on Nostr: the fundamental reason we're failing to tackle the obesity crisis is that *obesity* ...

the fundamental reason we're failing to tackle the obesity crisis is that *obesity* is not the problem.

Obesity itself is a symptom of a whole host of so-called lifestyle choices that people realistically have little control over. Stress, lack of exercise, junk food, etc all contribute to obesity and to all the things obesity is blamed for. We cannot improve health by focusing on one symptom that is easy to measure, especially when it makes the entire conversation one of "personal responsibility." That's just a fancy way of saying victim blaming. We know that shame doesn't work, that 95% of diets fail longterm, and that yoyo dieting is more damaging to health than just staying fat.

People don't have sedentary lifestyles, they're stuck in deadend jobs that leave little time or energy for anything else.

People don't choose an unhealthy diet, they eat what they can afford and access to survive.

People don't take on stress for fun, they're living through a never ending omnicrisis.

So he's right that weight loss drugs aren't the answer, but he's still asking the wrong question!