US EditionNew study links obesity to diet, not lack of exercise
UNITED STATES, JUL 16 – Researchers found increased calorie intake from ultra-processed foods is about 10 times more influential than physical activity decline in driving obesity in developed countries.
- On July 16, 2025, a study was released in a prestigious scientific journal examining the factors contributing to obesity across 34 populations worldwide.
- The study arose from rising obesity rates, especially in industrialized countries where total energy expenditure explains only about 10% of obesity's increase.
- Examining 4,213 adults aged 18 to 60, researchers found that calorie intake, especially from ultra-processed foods, drives obesity more than physical activity levels.
- Herman Pontzer, the study’s lead author, emphasized that consuming too many calories plays a central role in driving obesity in developed countries, particularly due to processed foods interfering with feelings of fullness and encouraging excess eating.
- The study implies that reducing calories from ultra-processed foods may be the most effective strategy to combat the global obesity epidemic.
28 Articles
28 Articles
San Diego Union Tribune
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Why Americans Keep Gaining Weight Despite Burning More Calories Than Ever
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BlackPressUSA
TelegramObesity Tied to Diet More Than Declining Activity
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE ��� Among African American adults, nearly 48 percent are clinically obese, including 37.1 percent of men and 56.6 percent of women, according to the American Psychological Association. The association has noted that disparities in stable housing, income, education, and access to healthy food and safe places for physical activity all contribute to these disproportionate rates of obesity and related health risks.
Rising Obesity in D.C., Worldwide Tied to Food Intake
An extensive study found that increased calorie intake, not decreased energy expenditure, is the primary factor contributing to rising obesity rates in economically developed societies, with ultra processed foods playing a central role in the modern obesity crisis. The post Rising Obesity in D.C., Worldwide Tied to Food Intake appeared first on The Washington Informer.
The role of ultra-processed food in obesity
The global increase in obesity has occurred in parallel to a dietary shift from traditional staple foods to ultra-processed foods (UPF), spurring scientific interest in UPF as a driver of the obesity pandemic. Herein, we summarize the current evidence regarding the role of UPF in obesity, with a specific focus on potential biological mechanisms. The literature strongly supports and corroborates ecological, epidemiological and mechanistic lines o…
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