Tipping the Scales of Truth: Why the Energy Balance Equation Is a Dangerous Lie

Abstract

Can obesity really be reduced to a mathematical formula? Does the much-touted Energy Balance Equation really deserve its central role in this field or has focusing too much on energy balance caused us to overlook the real issues? The Energy Equation is a dangerous lie – oversimplified, inadequate, and misleading. It reflects nothing of the real truth and answers none of the important cognitive and behavioral questions of why we overeat. To tackle the global epidemic of obesity, the psychology that underpins overeating ought to be addressed. This can be done therapeutically, without becoming bogged down in analysis, simply by teaching obese patients strategies for stress management and improving self-esteem. Obesity should be tackled at its root – applying principles from behavioral and cognitive behavioral therapies to understand why people eat and how they can change: in short, promoting better beliefs about food. Most importantly, however, we need to stop lying to people and pretending that the global obesity crisis can be solved with a simple equation.