Unfattening our children: forks over feet

Abstract

Childhood obesity rates have risen alarmingly for decades, and although recent data suggest a possible plateau, obesity is seen in ever younger children, and is increasingly severe. The proximal cause of obesity is energy imbalance; the root cause is modern living. Throughout most of human history, calories were relatively scarce and hard to get, and physical activity unavoidable. We have devised a modern world, in which physical activity is scarce and hard to get and calories are unavoidable. Although both sides of the energy balance equation matter, forced to pick sides, we should prioritize forks over feet for weight control based on both science and sense. The modern world makes it very easy to out-eat exercise, and nearly impossible to out-exercise excessive eating.

Implications of parental lifestyle changes and education level on adolescent offspring weight: a population based cohort study - The HUNT Study, Norway

“…The major cause of obesity is the imbalance between energy consumption and energy expenditure where both genetics and environmental factors play an important role 1–3. Since the genetic predisposition has not changed during the past few decades, however, changes in environmental exposures are the main drivers behind the obesity increase 4.…”

Influences on Food Away from Home Feeding Practices Among English and Spanish Speaking Parent–Child Dyads

“…Tracing the etiology of childhood obesity is complex and improving the healthfulness of the American diet has become a national health priority (Bowman et al 2004;Drewnowski 2010;Katz 2010). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that between 1985 and 2000, the daily per capita energy consumption increased by 12 %, or 300 calories per day among American adults (Putnam et al 2002).…”

Determinants of Childhood Adiposity: Evidence from the Australian LOOK Study

“…Opinions are varied as to how the problem of childhood obesity in the general community setting (as distinct from specific clinical cases) should be addressed in countries where food is plentiful and physical activity diminished. Some health professionals favour addressing the problem through predominantly dietary strategies, arguing that over-consumption of energy is difficult to avoid and likely to be the major cause [3]. Others argue that targeting children’s physical activity is the more effective community strategy, citing evidence that physical activity, especially vigorous physical activity, is the main driver of a child’s body composition [4].…”