The obesity thing ... As more research is done we are getting a better idea of why people eat too much, or even eat normally but become overweight.
A) Emotional damage in childhood leading to a) the development of a harmful coping strategy
b) the use of high calorie unhealthy foods as reward. Establishing a false positive link in the subconscious.
B). Errors in the Leptin/ Ghrelin feedback system creating an abnormal drive to eat. Hungry child syndrome
C). Patterns see in childhood... For example parents giving children inappropriate portion sizes and demanding a clean plate. normalizing eating very large meals. This results in the satiation signal being overridden to the point where it is no longer noticed.
D) parents feeding children energy dense,nutrition poor food because it is
i)cheap
ii) the children demand it and refuse to eat anything else. ( I have met many adults who will not eat any vegetables except possibly baked beans)
iii) it's how they were brought up.
E) Children and adults generally don't get enough exercise. One reason that is cited which surprised me is the fear of stranger danger... Parents are too afraid to let children out to play, or even join sports clubs because despite enhanced checks
they fear their offspring will fall prey to a predatory paedophile.I
F) Lack of access to early intervention counselling /CBT which would be effective give if used early enough.
G). Overweight as part of pathological avoidance syndrome.. Where the obesity gives a person a reason to avoid social interaction . Apparently fairly common in undiagnosed females on the Autism spectrum.
H) Slimming and weight loss clubs. Driving a loss gain cycle, the majority of attendees gain back more than they lose within 12 months
I) Eating (especially high sugar/ high fat foods) triggers the pleasure centre in the brain this is linked to addctive behaviours in certain individuals. However unlike other addiction s where abstinence is the goal you can't do this with food. You can use aversion therapy or avoidance of certain food items but you can't stop eating.
There are others including side effects of medication, disability reducing the ability to exercise, shop and cook, Social pressures ( ban rate my plate!) Advertising, and larger or richer restaurant portions.
There is so much more to be learned but no magic bullet. I remember the days when amphetamine type drugs were routinely given to overweight teens( I was one of them.... All I can say it was a terrifying experience)
Sorry to go on a bit but it makes me angry when people just say stop eating....
I will offer a piece from therapy sessions, ( it was working but was stopped due to funding cuts)
Food is:
My crutch, and the stick I beat myself with
My analgesia and the cause of my pain
My friend and my worst enemy
Comfort and discomfort
Nourishment and Poison
Joy and misery
Energy and lethargy
Life giving and why I want to die
I am past the last bit, thank heavens.
So I do feel properly targeted expenditure is valid, I would rather see more interventions with children and young adults when it is easier to effect change. And I know that's writing off many of us but those of us that want to change are trying those that don't can't be helped.