While exercise remains important, the study highlights the urgent need for dietary interventions focused on reducing processed food intake
Washington: A groundbreaking study that was recently published is reshaping our understanding of obesity in economically developed societies. The research, which analysed data from over 4,000 adults across 34 diverse populations, suggests that the rising tide of obesity is more closely linked to dietary changes, particularly the consumption of ultraprocessed foods, rather than a simple reduction in physical activity.
The study, titled “Energy expenditure, obesity, and economic development across populations,” published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), was a collaborative effort by a large team of international researchers, with Herman Pontzer from Duke University’s Department of Evolutionary Anthropology and Amanda McGrosky (now an assistant professor of biology at Elon University and a Duke postdoctoral alumna) identified as lead investigators. The primary objective was to unravel how economic development influences obesity by meticulously examining its relationship with various components of energy expenditure. The researchers gathered and analysed data from 4,213 adults spanning 34 distinct populations, representing a broad spectrum of economic development. These included traditional hunter-gatherer communities, pastoralist groups, farming societies, and highly industrialised communities. By comparing these diverse groups, the team aimed to identify precise patterns and correlations between economic development, energy expenditure, and body composition metrics such as body mass, Body Mass Index (BMI), and body fat.
For years, a common assumption has been that as nations develop economically, their populations become more sedentary, leading to increased rates of obesity. However, this new study presents a more nuanced picture. Researchers found that while economic development is indeed associated with higher body mass, BMI, and body fat, it surprisingly correlates with greater total, basal, and even activity energy expenditure. This finding directly challenges the notion that reduced physical activity is the sole or primary cause of weight gain in modern societies.
“Our findings challenge the simplistic notion that reduced energy expenditure is the primary driver of obesity in developed contexts,” stated Herman Pontzer, principal investigator with the Pontzer Lab. “Instead, we found that people in more economically developed societies tend to expend more energy overall, yet they still experience higher rates of obesity, indicating other powerful factors are at play.” Amanda McGrosky added, “While we saw a marginal decrease in size-adjusted total energy expenditure with economic development, differences in total energy expenditure explained only a fraction of the increase in body fat that accompanied development. This suggests that other factors, such as dietary changes, are driving the increases in body fat that we see with increasing economic development.”
The most significant revelation from the study points to the critical role of diet. The research strongly indicates that the increased consumption of ultraprocessed foods is a more substantial factor contributing to obesity in these populations. This implies that fundamental changes in food availability, accessibility, and composition – particularly the pervasive presence of highly processed items – are playing a more dominant role than previously emphasised.
The implications for public health are profound. While physical activity remains vital for overall well-being, the study underscores the urgent need for public health initiatives to shift their focus towards comprehensive dietary interventions. Efforts to prevent and combat obesity in economically developing and developed nations should prioritise strategies that address the pervasive influence of ultraprocessed foods and promote healthier eating patterns. This research highlights that a holistic approach, tackling both energy intake and expenditure with a strong emphasis on dietary quality, will be essential in addressing the global obesity epidemic. The authors further note that “Diet and physical activity should be viewed as essential and complementary, rather than interchangeable.”
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