The Normalization of The Obesity Pandemic

The human body was not designed to attain such fat. Us sapiens were hunters, we used to travel, our main goal was survival through physical instincts. So how did such an athletic built race turn into a fat storing machine? The start of this catastrophe came with industrialization and invention of modern day transport. Now there was no need for walking, cycling, horse riding when cars could take you to magnificent distances in such a short time.

Though the food was still natural, pure and healthy, he real disaster began once these companies started to add seed oils, preservatives and straight up chemicals in food. Now the cost of a breakfast lunch and dinner at macdonalds is far less cheaper than eating eggs, vegetables and meat. Eating healthy has become a luxury in many countries including  the UK and USA. Chocolate made from cacao which is an extremely healthy food containing numerous antioxidants has now been industrialized into an ultra processed dessert. As of 2026, chocolate industry giants including Cadbury and Hershey’s don’t even use cacao in chocolate. They have found a lab grown alternative which does not need to wait for harvest times and adds more added value.

Children growing obese is not just a result of industrialization, it is the neglectful nature of the parents who feed them food products like cereal and dessert for breakfast and pasta, burgers for lunch and dinner. This cycle continues and results in the whole family getting obese. This is a well thought business trap for both the food product developers as well as the medical giants bringing in obese customers dealing with health issues everyday- which tend to be millions in numbers.

With the rise of “work from home” and sitting at a desk from 9 to 5, the average capacity of adults moving around and exercising has died down. Not only do they eat high calorie ultra processed junk but they have no movement. This had led to heart attacks, infertility issues and diabetes among both genders.

The most shocking part is how normalized this is getting. “Fat normalizing societies” and “foundations” are being formed. Anyone dieting and losing weight is being called out for being “fatphobic”. In contrast, anyone eating a normal healthy meal is labeled as “dieting”. Even in South Asian staple foods, using large amounts of seed oils is considered normal while all the members in the family have all kinds of medical issues.

Children who grew up overweight due to their parents feeding them straight up ‘junk’ are developing eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia as well as body dysmorphia. Which affects both their mental and physical wellbeing. It is reported that 80% of teenagers grow up feeling insecure of their body image and appearance- all due to the normalization of overeating they faced in their childhood.

On the bright side, the dangers of this kind of lifestyle and people losing obese family members are coming to light. Shows like “600 pound life” are spreading awareness of the deadly consequences involved in becoming obese. They also show the dark and miserable side of these victims being abused in their childhood leading to them getting Binging disorders. However, most of the obese people tend to have no self control and overeat. Hence due to these insights many are upgrading their lifestyles, joining gyms and overall escaping the binging cycle.

Obese people also are more vulnerable to the judgement of the society, not receiving respect and having troubles in finding partners. Due to all these reasons combined, the healthy lifestyle and health influencers are on the rise, determined to eliminate this normalization of obesity.