Obesity prevention

Harvard School of Public Health The Obesity Prevention Source website, launched by the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), aims to give the public, health professionals, public health practitioners, business and community leaders, and policymakers quick and easy access to science-based information about obesity's causes, its dire consequences, and what can and must be done to turn back obesity's global spread.

Obesity Causes Genes Are Not Destiny Heredity plays a role in obesity but generally to a much lesser degree than many people might believe. Rather than being obesity’s sole cause, genes seem to increase the risk of weight gain and interact with other risk factors in the environment, such as unhealthy diets and inactive lifestyles. And healthy lifestyles can counteract these genetic effects.

Prenatal and Postnatal Influences Early life is important, too. Pregnant mothers who smoke or who are overweight may have children who are more likely to grow up to be obese adults. Excessive weight gain during infancy also raises the risk of adult obesity, while being breastfed may lower the risk.

Unhealthy Diets What’s become the typical Western diet—frequent, large meals high in refined grains, red meat, unhealthy fats, and sugary drinks—plays one of the largest roles in obesity. Foods that are lacking in the Western diet—whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts—seem to help with weight control, and also help prevent chronic disease.

Too Much Television, Too Little Activity, and Too Little Sleep Television watching is a strong obesity risk factor, in part because exposure to food and beverage advertising can influence what people eat. Physical activity can protect against weight gain, but globally, people just aren’t doing enough of it. Lack of sleep—another hallmark of the Western lifestyle—is also emerging as a risk factor for obesity.  

Toxic Environment—Food and Physical Activity As key as individual choices are when it comes to health, no one person behaves in a vacuum. The physical and social environment in which people live plays a huge role in the food and activity choices they make. And, unfortunately, in the U.S. and increasingly around the globe, this environment has become toxic to healthy living: The incessant and unavoidable marketing of unhealthy foods and sugary drinks. The lack of safe areas for exercising. The junk food sold at school, at work, and at the corner store. Add it up, and it’s tough for individuals to make the healthy choices that are so important to a good quality of life and a healthy weight.

Turning Around the Epidemic The fact that the obesity epidemic didn’t flash over countries like a wildfire—rather it smoldered and then slowly grew year after year—has made it even more difficult to combat, since its causes have become so intertwined into the social, environmental, and governmental fabric. 

Yet efforts to combat obesity—primarily through prevention—are beginning to gain traction, if by a step at a time. To realize real strides, though, positive change must come to all parts of society: from governments and schools, businesses and non-profit organization, neighborhoods and communities, individuals and families. We need to change policies and create an environment where the default option is the healthy choice.

Key behavior change Choosing healthier foods (whole grains, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and protein sources) and beverages Limiting unhealthy foods (refined grains and sweets, potatoes, red meat, processed meat) and beverages (sugary drinks) Increasing physical activity Limiting television time, screen time, and other "sit time" Improving sleep Reducing stress

Will people make these behavior changes? Choosing healthier foods (whole grains, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and protein sources) and beverages Yes No I do not know

Will people make these behavior changes? Limiting television time, screen time, and other "sit time" Yes No I do not know

Will people make these behavior changes? Increasing physical activity Yes No I do not know

Will people make these behavior changes? Limiting unhealthy foods (refined grains and sweets, potatoes, red meat, processed meat) and beverages (sugary drinks) A. Yes B. No C. I do not know

Will people make these behavior changes? Improving sleep Yes No I do not know

Will people make these behavior changes? Reducing stress Yes No I do not know

Astonishment and obesity Will people 100 years from now be astonished by America’s lack of progress? Yes No I genuinely do not know