Genes, yes, but obesity pandemic mostly down to diet: study

It seems that even if you are genetically predisposed to obesity, the only way to get fat is to eat too much because fat does not come from nowhere. So having a healthy diet is the answer. I see ads saying it is not your fault you are fat, it is your body's metabolism, so take our medications or supplements to get thin. It makes money for these companies.

Sodas, sodas, sodas: coke and mountain dew, of all things (kind of a reference to the movie, “Idiotocracy.” One American professor I met talked to me about the poisonous work relationships at American universities nowadays, (and how it was only slightly better in the private sector as everyone knew that sooner or later they would be given the boot), but he also discussed how everyone was overweight and how everyone was drinking, yes, Mountain Dew. Too wild, but people eat not because they are hungry but out of stress. It must be hard to live in the “empire” nowadays.

There are few fat kids in Japan. Kids walking to school, good school lunches, and lots of PE. It's something that should be celebrated and maintained.

Literally right above this article was a link for a news about limited edition Kitkats. Coca-Cola advertising, brought to your by your favorite Japanese celebrities, is relentless. Commercials for McDonald's air non-stop. Both frequently portray their products on TV with healthy, happy, active young people having the time of their lives. Glico, Morinaga, Yamazaki, and other processed food giants also all fill the airwaves with endless sweets and junk.

Yes, people need to make the correct decisions and take responsibility for their actions. But this state of affairs is the logical result of non-stop junk food advertising. What else did we think would happen?

There are few fat kids in Japan. Kids walking to school, good school lunches, and lots of PE. It's something that should be celebrated and maintained.

Brilliantly argued. Furthermore, every school in Japan has a Nutritionist, and every meal the children eat is analyzed to be perfect nutrition. Schools in Japan are controlling what children can/cant eat, and lots of physical training, mean almost no kids are fat. No coca-cola or soda allowed at school. Other nations should copy this system.

In Anglo countries, some of it is because schools can't afford to feed the kids fresh food. The budget only stretches to cheap junk. It was certainly that way on the expose Jamie Oliver did. Some schools have also sold their playing fields to developers, again due to lack of money. Insurance and compensation culture will also affect what schools can do with kids, active days out etc.

Vegetables aren't cheap in Japan, so it good that the money is found to include them in school lunches.

In Anglo countries, some of it is because schools can't afford to feed the kids fresh food. The budget only stretches to cheap junk

That's what junk eaters massively believe. Food from scratch (no need to have it all 'fresh' , but whole/minimally processed, with minimal packaging) always was, and is still much cheaper than the industrial fancy, the pre-made and ready to eat. Ingredients have never been as affordable, varied and well supplied as in 21st century. Plus, we can afford great equipment (fridge, freezer, pressure-cooker, blenders, programmable cookers....).

again due to lack of money. 

No. A chain of bad choices, individual and collective. The money is there. In the 1900's, 1950', 1980'... you had to work much longer to pay for your basket of veggies. Americans came from spending over 40% of income on food to 8% in 2019 :

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/04/how-america-spends-money-100-years-in-the-life-of-the-family-budget/255475/

At age 16, the obese kid is provided with a car, the latest i-phone, the latest fashion sneakers and sweatpants , the Netflix/Amazon platinum cards (as even going to a theater or a shopping mall was too much a hassle), plus a gun maybe ? Priorities.

There is no magic bullet, but Denmark set a serious policy to tackle the problem and they've a got great improvement, with less children getting overweight in the first place, and those already obese getting the medical help and counseling to reverse their condition.

When obesity starts to become a problem in a nation’s armed forces, the problem is serious.