Obesity

Obesity is a biological process and not a personal choice or a lack of character or deficit of willpower. In 1948 the WHO/ World Health Organization recognized obesity as a medical condition. It was not until 2013 that the American Medical Association acknowledged Obesity as a medical entity.

There are probably many forces that are leading to an increase in body weight at the population level. The cause of obesity in the individual likely varies and does have some epigenetic / genetic predisposition but it is clear current food environment, lifestyle and other biological factors are at play as well. Changes to the gut microbiome, hormone balance and the immune system all likely play a role in the development of obesity.

Obesity is an Epidemic
Over 72 million US adults meet the criteria for the diagnosis of obesity. The estimated cost per year of this epidemic is an additional $ 147 Billion dollars in medical care. This is likely a gross underestimate and seems to be increasing.

The below map from the CDC website estimates the self-reported incidence of obesity by state as a percentage of the population. This is a dramatic increase over the last 20-30 years.