Energy balance

Increased economic development and industrialization are associated with higher obesity rates primarily due to increased caloric intake and diet quality (specifically ultraprocessed foods), rather than reduced physical activity or energy expenditure.

Stop blaming your lack of exercise for your weight gain. This research shows that moving less doesn't necessarily mean you burn significantly less energy than a highly active person of the same size. The real driver of obesity in modern societies is what you eat, specifically the high proportion of ultraprocessed foods that disrupt satiety and increase absorption. Focus on reducing ultraprocessed food intake rather than obsessing over increasing physical activity expenditure to fix obesity.