WTF - World Takes Flak - For Obesity

Professor Philip James, chairman of the International Obesity Task Force, a London-based think tank, called for a revolution in urban planning to encourage people to use cars less and public transport more.

At the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science , Professor James presented at the Town Hall Understanding Obesity workshop. He said that it is "naive to expect people to lose weight by making better choices about diet and exercise when their surroundings encourage inactivity.

Professor James blamed the world in which we live for the behavior-based obesity epidemic. (read more...). To recap his presentation: Urban developers created an obesogenic environment by planning public spaces around the car. Business improvements that have increased desk work and reduced physical labor, and product engineering improvements in everyday items, including electric toothbrushes and can openers reinforce a more sedentary lifestyle.

'Blaming individuals for their personal vulnerability to weight gain is no longer acceptable in a world where the majority is already overweight and obesity is rising everywhere,' said Professor James...The environment in which we live is the overwhelming factor amplifying the epidemic.

If you're not at your ideal weight, don't worry...it's not your fault! The remote control is to blame!
What a relief! For a moment, I was worried that individuals would be assessed some degree of accountability.


The AAAS symposium wraps up today.

Tags:
[Obesity]  [Philip James]
[American Assoc. for Advancement of Science]
[Oscar Wilde]