We’re barely using the best tool we have to fight obesity

There’s a surprisingly big disconnect between how obesity researchers think about the causes of and treatments for obesity and how the American public does.

Researchers think some people have genetic and hormonal traits that make them more susceptible to obesity. They view obesity as a complex, chronic disease, like cancer, with many causes and subtypes. They’re also losing faith in dieting and exercise, neither of which is very helpful for weight loss in the long term.

The public, on the other hand, generally believes obesity is caused by a lack...