Scarlett McNally: Preventing obesity is different from curing it—and even more urgent

The body positivity movement rightly states that every person should live without judgment, shame, or stigma based on their physical appearance. It’s liberating not to be constrained by outdated expectations of how our bodies should look, and weight based discrimination can contribute to poor health and more weight gain.1But recent reports have highlighted the health and economic damage caused by obesity.234 The Tony Blair Institute5 calculates that obesity and overweight cost the UK economy £98bn a year, including £19.2bn in costs to the NHS from related illnesses. People with obesity are seven times as likely to get type 2 diabetes, with the attendant complications of infections, amputations, and eye and kidney problems.6Fat isn’t inert in the body.7 Sedentary behaviour leads to a pro-inflammatory state.89 Obesity is causally linked to heart disease and cancer, but the biggest underacknowledged problem is when several obesity related conditions coexist,1011 including chronic pain.12 A person…
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