alt Hacker NewsI don’t usually say something like this on HN, but you are completely and utterly wrong. The obesity epidemic cannot be reduced to some simple moral failure. Multiple twin concordance studies have shown 70%+ inheritability. Those of us who are fortunate enough to not struggle with obesity do so not because of some skillset that we have, but because our bodies do not maintain the same homeostasis.
For those of us old enough to remember what society looked like before the obesity epidemic kicked in, it’s hard to understand how something genetic can suddenly result in a dramatic change over a period of years. Our genetics didn’t change. Our food environment did. Experts disagree on what factors are responsible for this, and any random person had their own pet beliefs.
But this flat-earth-like notion of reducing obesity to an issue of basic willpower needs to be recognized for the drivel it is, along the related notion of calories in & calories out while ignoring the overwhelming role that basal metabolic burn plays and how it dynamically responds to changes in diet and exercise.
If you want to educate yourself, read Posner’s Burn [1], which is firmly grounded in empirical measurements of doubly labeled water to measure true metabolic consumption. Look up the reporting the NYT on past contestants of The Biggest Loser.[2]
[1] https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/603894/burn-by-herm...
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/02/health/biggest-loser-weig... (gift link)
Edit: Added links to sources.
> The obesity epidemic cannot be reduced to some simple moral failure.
You're the only one to bring up morality so far in this comment chain.
> Those of us who are fortunate enough to not struggle with obesity do so not because of some skillset that we have, but because our bodies do not maintain the same homeostasis.
That's just utter bullshit. Homeostasis is heavily influenced by lifestyle choices.
> But this flat-earth-like notion of reducing obesity to an issue of basic willpower needs to be recognized for the drivel it is,
No, your incessant need to convince yourself and everyone else that something as straightforward as controlling your calorie intake is in fact a complex and naturally intractable problem that requires drugs and counseling is what's flat-earth-like drivel and utter bullshit.
> If you want to educate yourself, read Posner’s Burn [1], which is firmly grounded in empirical measurements of doubly labeled water to measure true metabolic consumption.
You're cherry picking terrible studies that happen to fit the preconceived notions you desperately want to believe, because they make you feel better about being undisciplined and weak-willed. Your understanding of nutrition, exercise and health are also clearly very minimal.