On the Dominance of Mass Persuasion over Policy in Addressing the Global Epidemic of Obesity

According to the World Health Organization, obesity is a global pandemic. Over two billion adults worldwide are overweight; about 1/3 of these individuals may be classified as obese. Rates of obesity continue to increase at an alarming rate in high, middle, and low-income nations. Historically, persuasion and education strategies—such as mass media campaigns, school-based education, and one-on-one counseling in medical settings—have dominated obesity prevention efforts in the United States and, to some extent, globally. Examples include the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Verb® campaign in the U.S. and World Obesity Day globally. However, a number of studies suggest that such education and persuasion efforts have had a limited impact. Other strategies employing policy, such as taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages, limits on portion sizes, bans of trans fats, and restrictions on food and beverage industry advertising may offer greater promise for impact. I examine four categories of explanation for overreliance on persuasion: cultural preference, policymaker preference, preferences of industries that could be affected by regulation, and financial interests of the global advertising industry. I conclude by offering suggestions for development of research and policy agendas to correct over-reliance on persuasion in global obesity prevention and control efforts.