This article provides arguments to fuel the debate on whether obesity is the consequence of reduced physical activity or increased energy intake. Although the authors acknowledge that both energy intake and expenditure are involved, they provide evidence that the prevalence of obesity has increased sharply since 1980 and that there has been a parallel increase in food intake over the same period. They propose that the obesity epidemic may be due to a marked increase in caloric intake over less than three decades. Citing national dietary surveys and food disappearance data, the authors note that energy intake in the US has clearly increased, contributing to the growing obesity epidemic in the process. These findings suggest that in order to control the ongoing growth of the obesity epidemic, matching food intake to sedentary energy needs (this is theoretically easier to maintain long term than caloric restriction) could have a significant impact on the overall health of the US population.
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