While the efforts to reduce obesity are important, they do not address the underlying malnourishment of people due to higly processed and hyperpalatable manufactured food products. Ubiquitous advertising - especially that which is aimed at children and the poor - is designed to ever increase sales.

A multi-pronged public health oriented approach needs to be put into place:

Significantly change the ag subsidies to that of whole foods: pastured meat animals and fresh in season fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds. Reduce the cost of whole fresh and flash frozen foods while increasing the cost of manufactured food products to pay for chronic diseases they contribute to.

Ban manufactured food product marketing to children - online, TV, radio, print and especially in schools. Allow vending machines in all public buildings to sell only fresh or minimally processed whole foods such as nuts, fruit, vegetables, hard cooked eggs, cheese, unsweetened yogurt and canned seafood.

Pressure grocers to place fresh whole foods in the front of stores, making them the easiest, default choices for purchase.

Build worker protections that include a living wage so that they can afford to buy, prepare and store fresh whole foods for themselves and their families.

Mandate health classes in all public schools which include principles of nutrition, cooking and food preparation, and traditional diets across locally represented cultures. Make these classes available to all - enrolled students as well as any interested person.

Disallow food product manufacturers from influencing legislation and policy for nutrition and health.

It's important to note that environmental toxins and lack of sleep also contribute to obesity, and these have largely been ignored. Chronic stress also leads to obesity, and this is amenable to public health efforts to create worker protections, address neighborhood safety and domestic violence, along with food insecurity and hunger.

Food is one of the very few things vulnerable people have to soothe themselves with. Given the artifically low costs of junk food which is hyperpalatable and very high in reward, it is no surprise that people choose to give themselves some comfort and self soothing, even if only momentary, with highly available, accessible, affordable and heavily marketed products which lead to malnutrition (lack of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other essential elements) and weight gain with its attendant discomfort, stigma and health problems.