Obesity is not a choice, say psychologists

Obesity is "not a choice" and does not rely simply on people lacking willpower, psychologists said.

The British Psychological Society urged officials to do more to combat obesity, which is due to a combination of factors, including genes.

The body, made up of 60,000 people, said that an effort similar to what had been given to combat smoking is necessary to put an end to the onslaught of obesity .

The numbers show that a quarter of adults and a third of British children are now obese, which increases the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke.

The BPS admitted that if obesity is caused by behavior, these behaviors do not always involve a "choice" or "personal responsibility".

The company argued that people were becoming overweight or obese as a result of a complex combination of factors, including genetics.

Reactions to childhood stress, sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary choices can also lead to obesity – a BMI greater than 30, the report says.

The BPS, based in Leicester, wrote in his report: "Obesity is not simply due to an individual's lack of willpower.

"The people most likely to have unhealthy weight are those who pose a high genetic risk of developing obesity and whose lives are also shaped by work, school and social environments that promote overeating." and inactivity.

"People living in disadvantaged areas are often subject to high levels of stress, including major life problems and trauma."

The report adds, "Often, their neighborhoods offer few opportunities and few incentives for physical activity, and the options for accessing healthy and affordable food are limited.

"Psychological experiences also play an important role: nearly half of adults who attend specialized services in obesity have experienced adversity as children."

Sarb Bajwa, Director General of the BPS, said, "The government recognized that obesity posed a threat to the health of the country in 1991.

"But the problem has continued to worsen. We need a similar effort on obesity to the one we saw on smoking.

"He has taken action at every level for decades, from government policy to helping individual smokers."

Mr. Bajwa added, "But we are currently seeing a significant reduction in smoking and the health problems it causes.

"Psychologists have the science and clinical experience needed to help health services do the same for obesity.

"We can help, not only by designing ways to help individuals, but also by giving advice on public policies that can create an environment in which people find it easier not to become obese at first."

The BPS said it did not support the ranking of obesity among diseases, although some organizations, including the World Health Organization, have described it as a disease.

But he said it was "important to avoid the language and explanations that localize the" problem "of obesity in individuals."

In his report, he called on people to stop using the term "obese people" and to opt for the term "obese people."

Angel Chater, a registered psychologist from the University of Bedfordshire and one of the authors of the report, said: "Levels of adult obesity in England have increased by 18% between 2005 and 2017, and similar increases have been observed in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland. Wales.

"This can not be explained by a sudden loss of motivation in the four UK countries.

"The increase in obesity can partly be attributed to changes in food supply and the environment of physical activity."

The BPS report comes after last week's figures revealed that smoking rates in the UK are declining faster than in more than a decade.

The figures show that 15% of the population regularly smoked cigarettes at the end of July this year, compared to 17.2% in 2018.

Government initiatives to reduce smoking rates have been introduced regularly over the last 15 years in the UK.

Health warnings on packaging became mandatory in 2002, advertisements were banned in 2003 and indoor smoking is banned in 2007.

In 2017, official manufacturers replaced all branded cigarette packaging with neutral boxes of a greenish-brown.

Matt Lambert, a nutritionist with the Global Fund for Cancer Research, said, "We welcome this new report that calls for changes in how obesity is perceived and how we talk about it.

"Being overweight or obese increases the risk of at least 12 types of cancer.

"But people do not become overweight or obese overnight. Instead, day after day, we are confronted with unhealthy environments that make junk food convenient, cheap and easily available.

"Once we stop blaming individuals, we may be able to begin to act so that future generations will not be crippled by this epidemic – this action will require a commitment from the government, the food industry and an international community. change in the public's attitude towards obesity. "

Tam Fry, a spokesperson for the National Forum on Obesity, said, "Language is so important and the advice of the Society is absolutely correct.

"There are millions of people whose genetic resources predispose them to weight gain and their difficulties are compounded by the need to cope with an environment in which maintaining a" healthy weight "is a battle.

"They do not want to be fat and be labeled as having chosen to be, is abusive.

"The Society is also right in stating that the government should tackle obesity as smoking.

"What is unfortunate is that all governments have known this for decades, but they have been cornered by Big Food in the same way that Big Tobacco had locked the previous administrations under their control.

"Until Whitehall begins placing public health ahead of business interests, obesity, like smoking, will never be successfully fought."