Premium
Understanding the Obesity Problem: Policy Implications of a Motivational Account of (Un)Healthy Eating
Author(s) -
Orehek Edward,
VazeouNieuwenhuis Anna
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
social issues and policy review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.798
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1751-2409
pISSN - 1751-2395
DOI - 10.1111/sipr.12021
Subject(s) - overeating , obesity , psychology , function (biology) , healthy eating , food choice , empirical evidence , public health , quality (philosophy) , public economics , social psychology , medicine , economics , physical activity , epistemology , pathology , physical medicine and rehabilitation , biology , philosophy , evolutionary biology , nursing
Obesity represents a serious public health issue. One major contributor to obesity is the quality and quantity of foods one consumes. Psychological research trying to understand overeating and unhealthy eating behavior has often attributed it to homeostatic malfunction and/or lack of self‐regulatory ability. We propose a different approach here, suggesting that eating behavior represents goal pursuit and that obesity is the result of reliance on foods that fulfill convenience goals and price goals at the expense of health goals. We propose and present empirical evidence suggesting that people are capable of making healthier choices when health (rather than convenience and price) concerns predominate and healthy options are available. Based on this existing evidence we suggest that (1) future research should further explore individuals’ food choice as a function of the multiple goals they attempt to achieve rather than as a lack of willpower, and (2) policy may contribute to healthy eating by reprioritizing these goals and emphasizing health while increasing the availability and affordability of healthy foods.