Research
Energy balance
The obesity epidemic is primarily driven by an obesogenic environment—specifically the increased availability of highly processed, calorie-dense foods and reduced occupational physical activity—acting on genetically susceptible individuals, rather than by genetics alone.
Focus on modifying your environment rather than relying solely on willpower. Reduce access to highly processed, calorie-dense foods and increase incidental physical activity (e.g., walking, standing) to counteract the sedentary nature of modern work and food availability.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
As Joslin described almost a century ago, genetics probably loads the gun, while lifestyle in our obesogenic environment pulls the trigger for the spreading of the obesity epidemic.
Why this rating
This is an editorial/perspective paper summarizing other reviews; it presents a consensus view rather than primary experimental data.
Source
Three New Perspectives on the Perfect Storm: What's Behind the Obesity Epidemic?
Éric Ravussin et al. · Obesity · 2017
DOI 10.1002/oby.22085
narrative_reviewCited 40×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Highly processed, palatable, and cheap foods (high in sugar, fat, salt, and flavor additives) trigger overconsumption of calories by shifting eating behaviors from home cooking to snacking and large-portion meals.Moderate
- The reduction in occupational physical activity, rather than a lack of formal exercise, is a major contributor to the obesity epidemic, creating a zone of low energy expenditure where intake becomes uncoupled from expenditure.Moderate
- Secondary environmental factors—including poor sleep hygiene, decreased cigarette smoking, increased atmospheric CO2, thermoneutrality, screen time, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, medications, and an unhealthy microbiome—contribute to the obesity epidemic by tipping the energy balance equation.Moderate
Related findings · Energy balance
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- Achieving type 2 diabetes remission requires significant weight loss (≥15 kg) via major caloric restriction, independent of macronutrient composition.Strong
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