Weight loss continues to dominate public discourse – often framed as a matter of personal responsibility. But after nearly 15 years working in and around health and nutrition research, I’ve seen how weight is treated differently from almost every other health issue.
People are routinely blamed for their body size, even though robust evidence shows that weight is shaped by a complex mix of genetics, biology, environment and socioeconomic factors. Limited access to affordable, healthy food, lack of safe places to exercise, long working hours and chronic stress – all more common in disadvantaged areas – can make maintaining a healthy weight significantly harder.
