Obesity

Abstract

This chapter discusses the nature of obesity and body shape generally, and how they affect health. Looking at the USA, UK and Australia in particular, it suggests that there is indeed a growing obesity and health crisis in the western world. It finds the causes of this crisis in modern food manufacture as it has developed from the 1960s onwards, notably sugar, trans-fats and other additives in food. It argues that whilst people do have some responsibility for their choice of food and drink, they cannot be blamed for the obesity crisis. This is the fault of governments that allow food manufacturers to produce foods that we know, given our body chemistry and biology, appeal to us and will provide excess calories with low nutritional value. People can only be expected to reasonably choose from the menu available to them, and that menu is poor-quality food, illustrated most dramatically in the food deserts of the USA. The obesity crisis is a failure of government regulation.