Fundamental errors are the conceptual ones which cause the most trouble and allow for the most profit when resolved correctly. Statnews, an excellent publication in the health arena, has a wonderful article about thinking about obesity. Here is the link: https://www.statnews.com/2021/09/13/how-a-fatally-tragically-flawed-paradigm-has-derailed-the-science-of-obesity
The essence of the article is that obesity is not a function of taking in more calories than expended. One of my friends, whom I will call BC, always derided overweight people as "simply not pushing away from the table soon enough." While he is bright enough, this is an example where things are not as they appear. Over time, I have had clarity on this issue because my weight has been stable whether I eat alot or a little. Logically, I concluded that people who are overweight are generally experiencing a body shape that declares itself.
The article states that obesity is a function of bodies that drive excess fat accumulation. Examples are provided where calorie intake is strictly dropped to the point of starvation and the bodies of certain individuals still accumulate fat. There are a number of reasons why this trait might have been beneficial from an evolutionary standpoint as it might have increased fat reserves during lean times. The article does not explore trait benefit or development. But the article highlights the insulin mechanisms that function towards this excess fat accumulation. The author posits that this is the underlying reason Keto diets work (but again does not declare whether this is healthy).
For me it confirms that the body shaming of obese people has been useless, heartless and cruel. Many people have treated obesity as if it were a choice or a defect in character. Instead it is a trait that requires understanding. For people who have this trait, they may or may not take approaches to modify it. Like other personal decisions, it's their domain and not an indicator of no discipline.
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