Role of reciprocal relationship between food and humans in evolution of the obesity epidemic

Human evolution spans 2 million years. Human food has been evolving for 4.5 billion years. When humans affect the production of food by genetic modification, pesticides and chemical fertilizers, the human biome is interactively affected. In our quest to eradicate hunger, we have resorted to extreme means to increase food production and make un-seasonal foods available all year round, at affordable prices. Increased food availability and concurrent social trends have paved the way for expansion in the prepared food industry. The resulting food norms have radically changed US eating patterns in the last four decades.

In the early 70s, healthcare professionals identified fat in foods as a major cause of coronary artery disease. The food industry in response removed fats and added refined sugars, corn and corn derivatives to prepared food, to restore taste and increase sales. This led to increase in number of calories consumed per serving as well as high insulin states which interfere with satiety and fat storage feedback mechanism in the body. These factors have contributed to the growing epidemic of obesity in the US. This presentation will bring to attention, the complex new relationship between healthcare providers, public health messaging by healthcare providers based on any new and emerging data, the food industry, the consumers and what some call iatrogenic obesity.