Draft Australian Dietary Guidelines (PDF, 3MB) - Eat For Health

4.1.3 Causes of overweight and obesity in the populationHealthy body weight results from an appropriate balance between energy intake and expenditure(of which physical activity is a component) [89, 688, 723]. At the population level, there isincreasing evidence that excess energy intake is a major contributor to current energy imbalances[88, 723-728].4.1.3.1 The obesogenic environmentObesity is a complex condition mediated by an individual’s metabolism and behaviour as well associetal and environmental factors.Although some genetic factors may increase an individual’s susceptibility to being overweight orobese, the dramatic increases in prevalence of overweight and obesity over the past three to fourdecades without any major change in the gene pool suggests that socio-environmental factors areprimarily responsible for the current epidemic [88, 89, 685, 688, 726, 727, 729]. Significant socioenvironmentalchanges during this period include, but are not limited to:• changes in the food supply, particularly increased availability and decreased relative cost offoods which tend to be higher in energy density and relatively nutrient-poor [730]• increased availability and marketing of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and drinks• urban design which reduces energy expenditure during daily activities and increasedreliance on car and labour-saving devices [726, 731]• reduced perceptions of safety leading to fewer opportunities for physical activity [732, 733]• economic and consumer changes, such as a greater number of females in the paidworkforce, decreased food literacy and cooking skills, and greater reliance on convenienceand takeaway foods [728, 729, 734].These changes all promote excess weight gain by fostering consumption of energy-dense andrelatively nutrient-poor foods and/or reduced physical activity [726, 735-738].Against such social and physical environments, overweight and obese individuals need support,rather than criticism and discrimination. Healthy weight initiatives must achieve a balance betweenindividual and societal responsibility and be culturally appropriate, widely available and accessible,particularly to disadvantaged and vulnerable groups [89, 739].DRAFT Australian Dietary Guidelines- December 2011 108