Changing Perceptions on Obesity and Behavior
The Big Problem
“Why don’t you just eat less?” “You should do more exercise.” “It’s not that difficult, you just need some self-control.”
People living with obesity are often subjected to weight-based discrimination and stereotypes, including generalizations about being lazy, greedy, lacking willpower and self-discipline, or simply being unmotivated to improve their health.4 In other words, it’s believed that they are personally to blame for their higher body weight.6
In 2022, one in eight people were living with obesity across the globe.1 Today, it’s one of the world’s most pressing health challenges,2 alongside diabetes, cancer, and other non-communicable diseases. In many societies, obesity is also one of the most stigmatized complex chronic diseases. But obesity hasn’t always been a significant challenge. In fact, it was only officially recognized as a global epidemic in 1997 when the World Health Organization announced that its prevalence had nearly tripled since 1975.3
So what’s changed? Why are we now facing a health crisis that only half a century ago didn’t exist? Are we really just getting lazier? The answer is our environment. Consider the rapid expansion of fast-food chains such as McDonald’s and KFC during the 1970s and 1980s, which made high-fat, high-sugar products more convenient and easier to access. Ultra-processed foods have also risen in popularity, thanks to their affordability, convenience, and longer shelf life. And then there’s climate change. Food insecurity in many parts of the world means that fresh produce simply isn’t accessible, pushing families to eat what’s available, even if it’s not nutritious.
While our biology hasn’t changed much, the environments shaping food choices have shifted dramatically. Once we acknowledge this fact, we can start to find ways to tackle the issue from a human-centered perspective. Behavioral science can help us understand the environment in which food choices are made, and therefore challenge some of the misconceptions and stereotypes that surround people living with obesity and their behaviors.
About the Author
Dr. Lauren Braithwaite
Dr. Lauren Braithwaite is a Social and Behaviour Change Design and Partnerships consultant working in the international development sector. Lauren has worked with education programmes in Afghanistan, Australia, Mexico, and Rwanda, and from 2017–2019 she was Artistic Director of the Afghan Women’s Orchestra. Lauren earned her PhD in Education and MSc in Musicology from the University of Oxford, and her BA in Music from the University of Cambridge. When she’s not putting pen to paper, Lauren enjoys running marathons and spending time with her two dogs.
