Seven myths that dominate the obesity debate debunked
From inheriting the propensity for weight gain to the real commercial villains behind obesity, Ever Seen a Fat Fox? author Michael Gibney dispels some common misunderstandings
Ever seen a fat fox? I didn’t think you had. Why is it that only humans – or animals in the care of humans – develop obesity? In my recently published book, Ever Seen a Fat Fox – Human Obesity Explored, I challenge some common myths that dominate the popular debate on the topic of obesity. Here are seven key issues that are often misunderstood or misrepresented.
Myth 1: the global effects of obesity are overinflated.
Truth: the global economic impact of obesity amounts to roughly US$2 trillion annually, or 2.8 per cent of global GDP.
The McKinsey Global Institute issues detailed reports of their in-depth analysis of many socially important issues. On the subject of obesity, they compared the costs to the UK National Health Service thus: the annual cost of obesity to the nation from obesity equals the combined annual cost of the UK police, fire, prison and court services. My estimate of the lifetime costs of obesity to the US makes it equivalent to both the construction costs and 40-year lifetime maintenance costs of about 30 to 40 US nuclear submarines of the Virginia class. That’s a lot of money. No matter how you look at it, obesity costs a small fortune.
Myth 2: widespread obesity is unique to modern times.
Truth: it began with the Industrial Revolution.