Source: Dr. Stephan Guyenet. Why Do We Overeat? A Neurobiological Perspective. 2014. (Data from CDC NHANES surveys and USDA food disappearance data)
People may argue about the causes of obesity… whether it is sugar, carbs, fat, or something else.
But one indisputable fact is that calorie consumption has increased dramatically over the past few decades (28, 29).
According to studies, this increased calorie intake is more than sufficient to explain the increases in obesity (30).
But it’s important to keep in mind that it is not some collective moral failure that drives the increased calorie intake.
All behavior is driven by the underlying biology… and the way the diet and environment have changed has altered the way our brains and hormones work.
In other words, these changes have caused malfunctions in the biological systems that are supposed to prevent us from getting fat.
This is the underlying reason for the increased calorie intake and weight gain, NOT a lack of willpower, as some people would have you believe.