Review
International Journal of Obesity (2006) 30, 1585–1594. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803326; published online 27 June 2006
Putative contributors to the secular increase in obesity: exploring the roads less traveled
S W Keith1,2, D T Redden2, P T Katzmarzyk3,4, M M Boggiano5, E C Hanlon6, R M Benca6, D Ruden7, A Pietrobelli8, J L Barger9,10, K R Fontaine11, C Wang12, L J Aronne13, S M Wright13, M Baskin14, N V Dhurandhar15, M C Lijoi16, C M Grilo17, M DeLuca7, A O Westfall2 and D B Allison1,2,3
- 1Section on Statistical Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- 2Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- 3Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- 4School of Physical and Health Education, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- 5Formerly MM Hagan, Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Division, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- 6Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- 7Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- 8Paediatric Unit, Verona University Medical School, Verona, Italy
- 9Wisconsin Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- 10Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, WI, USA
- 11Division of Rheumatology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- 12Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Investigation Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
- 13Comprehensive Weight Control Program Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
- 14Department of Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- 15Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
- 16Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- 17Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
Correspondence: Dr DB Allison, Department of Biostatistics, Ryals Public Health Building, 1665 University Boulevard, University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Station, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA. E-mail: dallison@uab.edu
Received 11 October 2005; Revised 13 February 2006; Accepted 23 February 2006; Published online 27 June 2006.
Abstract
Objective:
To investigate plausible contributors to the obesity epidemic beyond the two most commonly suggested factors, reduced physical activity and food marketing practices.
Design:
A narrative review of data and published materials that provide evidence of the role of additional putative factors in contributing to the increasing prevalence of obesity.
Data:
Information was drawn from ecological and epidemiological studies of humans, animal studies and studies addressing physiological mechanisms, when available.
Results:
For at least 10 putative additional explanations for the increased prevalence of obesity over the recent decades, we found supportive (although not conclusive) evidence that in many cases is as compelling as the evidence for more commonly discussed putative explanations.
Conclusion:
Undue attention has been devoted to reduced physical activity and food marketing practices as postulated causes for increases in the prevalence of obesity, leading to neglect of other plausible mechanisms and well-intentioned, but potentially ill-founded proposals for reducing obesity rates.
Keywords:
additional explanations, prevalence of obesity, obesity epidemic, body mass index, food marketing, physical activity
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