[ilikecakeandpie]

> It's eating too much and not exercising enough.

At the very base this is mostly true but it's like saying the reason people die is because they stop living. Framing it as people behaving "in this self-destructive way" also isn't helpful because being obese isn't a moral failing.

The true answer is more complex. At least in the US, consumers have been fighting deceptive marketing/branding for things that have been claimed to be healthy choices but are full of sugar and unrealistic serving sizes. Combine that with unhealthy foods generally being cheaper and/or easier to cook and now more accessible/easier healthy eating also has class issues. Exercise does too as most of the places where obesity is most concentrated in the US (the Southeast) doesn't have walkable cities or sidewalks at all.

This has been a common comment left on HN of "it's just move more, eat less" and yeah, at a fundamental level, sure, but really doesn't take into account how difficult it can be for a person that's in that situation.