Global Obesity Crisis Driven by Overeating, Not Inactivity, Landmark Study Concludes
A groundbreaking global study has upended long-held beliefs about the true drivers of the obesity epidemic, finding that overeating—particularly of ultra-processed foods—is about ten times more responsible for rising obesity rates than a lack of exercise. This revelation carries profound implications for Thailand, where rates of overweight and obesity are increasing alongside rapid urbanisation and changing dietary patterns.
For decades, both Thai and international health authorities have emphasised the importance of physical activity in tackling obesity, broadcast through nationwide campaigns and initiatives. The popular narrative has been that sedentary lifestyles, especially in urban areas like Bangkok or Chiang Mai, are to blame for waistlines expanding. Yet, new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) suggests this perspective may miss the mark. Based on an analysis of over 4,000 adults from 34 nations—including hunter-gatherer tribes in Tanzania, herder-farmers in Siberia, and executives in Norway—researchers found that people across cultural and economic backgrounds actually burn roughly the same amount of calories per day, regardless of whether their lives are active or sedentary (Washington Post).