Susan A. Jebb OBE, chair of the UK’s Food Standards Agency and Professor of Diet and Population Health at Oxford, told Times Evoke that on average people are “definitely fatter than we’ve ever been,” a product of dramatic environmental change: food is plentiful, cheap and highly palatable while daily life has become far more sedentary. She said humans evolved to favour eating when food was available, but those genes now work against us in a world of plenty.
Jebb said obesity is a predictable biological response to an environment that our evolution cannot match. “We were born with genes which encourage us to eat freely when food is available because it might become scarce later,” she explained, adding that reduced physical activity — driven by technology and modern work patterns — means energy requirements are lower and weight has steadily risen across nations.
On GLP‑1 medications, Jebb described the drugs as effective for people who are very overweight because they mimic natural “I’m full” signals and lead to spontaneous reductions in food intake. She cautioned, however, that benefits often reverse when treatment stops: citing a systematic review, she noted patients lost about 15 kg on GLP‑1s but regained roughly 10 kg one year after discontinuing them. “These drugs must therefore be part of a holistic package of care — a healthy diet and physical activity remain absolutely crucial,” she said, stressing that obesity is a chronic, relapsing condition requiring long‑term management rather than a short course cure.
Responding to concerns about rising consumption of high‑fat, processed and “aspirational” packaged foods in India, Jebb said she is “extremely concerned and worried for India” and urged policymakers to learn from the UK’s experience. She recommended protecting local food systems, tightening regulations on unhealthy product marketing-especially to children-and restricting promotions that incentivize oversized, calorie‑dense portions.
Jebb drew parallels with tobacco control, arguing that progress against smoking came from three pillars: supporting people to quit, limiting industry marketing and raising prices through taxation, and shifting social norms so smoking became less acceptable. She said similar measures — combined with support for individuals trying to lose weight and constraints on unhealthy industry practices — are needed to curb obesity.
Looking ahead, Jebb suggested wider GLP‑1 availability could prompt the food industry to offer more nutrient‑dense products, smaller portions and less sugar and fat. “We must ensure GLPs become a positive disruptive technology that can help people control their weight — and reform our food system,” she said. Views expressed are personal.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/humans-are-fatter-than-ever-before-glp-1s-can-bridge-the-gap-between-evolution-and-modernity/articleshow/130032092.cms
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Publish Date: 2026-04-05 07:41:00
