Trying to lose weight can be frustrating. Despite doing all the right things, like eating healthy and exercising, it can feel like there's no one to blame but ourselves, and society just reinforces that feeling by judging people who struggle with their weight. But many people don't realize that accumulation of body weight is not a choice, it's a result of various factors working against us. Weight loss is not just about willpower — there are scientific, evolutionary and social components that can make it very challenging. Understanding how our consumption of food has changed over time can help relieve the blame and shame often felt by those battling weight accumulation.
Throughout history, when it was common to experience food scarcity, our bodies stored energy from calories to survive. Most people who have tried to stick to a new diet can relate to the frustration of seemingly constant hunger pangs throughout the day. These cravings are the body's way of indicating that it wants to store more energy so we don't run out of fuel.
Advancements of the 20th century changed the availability, calorie content and affordability of food. Thanks to the development of refrigeration, supermarkets began appearing in local communities, facilitating convenient access to food year-round. The demand for ready-to-eat foods drove the emergence of high-calorie processed foods, and the use of preservatives to facilitate longer shelf life resulted in less nutritious products. As the fast-food industry grew as a key part of American culture, larger portions of high-calorie food were offered at a lower price to emphasize value.
Though food scarcity became rare in the Western world, humans continued to accumulate excess energy because our bodies' efficient fuel storing system has not adapted to these environmental and social changes. Our bodies aren't programmed to turn off food storage, so we continue to store excess fuel as fat, resulting in extra body weight, which can be associated with serious health consequences.
Weight accumulation is a result of a misalignment between today's environment and our body's natural biology. Despite the biological and social factors that can make weight loss difficult, it's not impossible. For individuals struggling to improve their health, strict diets and rigorous exercise routines may not be enough to overcome how the body is programmed. Options exist to adjust our biology and overcome weight accumulation. Weight management experts are specifically trained to help overcome the many challenges associated with weight control. Scott Kahan, MD, MPH, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness in Washington, DC says, "The American Board of Obesity Medicine certifies physicians who have demonstrated an in-depth knowledge and expertise in weight management science and practice. There are now more than 3,000 board-certified obesity medicine specialists nationwide."
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