Isn't that kind of like saying measles is linked to the measles virus?
No, it is not at all like that! Measles is a virus, and it's unequivocally the one and only
cause of measles. Deciding not to vaccinate your kids is a
factor!
When I Google " why rising childhood obesity " the AI says:
"Childhood obesity is rising due to a combination of factors, including unhealthy eating habits, decreased physical activity, and environmental influences. These factors contribute to an energy imbalance where children consume more calories than they burn, leading to weight gain."
Have you tried googling "why measles"?
"Measles is a highly contagious viral illness caused by the measles virus, spread through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing. It's easily transmitted via close contact or by touching contaminated surfaces. Factors increasing the risk of measles include not being vaccinated, traveling to areas with outbreaks, or having a weakened immune system."
Highlighted by Google, not me!
Do you think the other factors would be easier to deal with If we eliminate unhealthy eating habits and made the ultra processed foods less available?
We are not talking about
unhealthy eating habits. We are talking about what makes people
obese. Some people can eat ultra-processed foods without getting obese. Other people can't - for whatever reason. The ultra-processed foods may still be unhealthy - for whatever reason. A case in point that I have referred to often in this thread:
Trans fats (Wikipedia). There is no doubt that they are incredibly unhealthy. There is also no doubt that they contribute to obesity. Virtually eliminating them from the diet appears to have worked wonders for people's
cardiovascular health, in particular. But it is not as if trans fats made
everybody obese. That's the difference between a cause and a factor. And in the case of obesity, there are not only obesity-
generating factors. There are also obesity-
mitigating factors.
Like everybody else, I used to live in world full of trans fats, and yet I didn't get fat, but I don't know why I didn't. Was it because I exercised enough to keep it at bay? Maybe, but I also didn't get fat in periods of my life when I didn't exercise much.
Remember: This question is
complicated! (However, I do know that it probably wasn't because I have
good jeans! 
)
Yes I know eliminating the ultra processed foods would cause economic issues, but I think throwing money at the availability of healthier food would be more productive than throwing it at ineffective bureaucracies.
You appear to share an awful lot of ideas with RFK Jr.! Coincidence?!
Otherwise, why would you come up with a comparison of healthier food with ineffective bureaucracies? Has anybody ever claimed that ineffective bureaucracies (or any kind of bureaucracies) help people slim down? It's the kind of statement that nobody can disagree with. Nobody is in favor of
"ineffective bureaucracies."
That is why the argument is so popular among fascists and similar 'populists' when they want to get rid of regulations put in place to protect people from ruthless exploiters. It's cheaper for the manufacturers of food if they don't have to abide by the rules of hygiene and food additives. Manufacturers of fast food didn't use transfats because it was
healthy, but because it made the production of food a little
easier in some respects, which benefitted the bottom line. Manufacturers of cigarettes don't give a ◊◊◊◊ about their products killing people. In fact, it annoys the hell out them when it is pointed out. Transfats and tobacco are rather
slow killers, so the people who make and sell the ◊◊◊◊ don't give a damn.
And they always find ways of getting around advertising bans:
Elon Musk's X is full of stuff like this:
craving food? no i actually think you just need a good old cigarette
PROBLEM SOLVED
And another one:
Look at them all thin and happy, just living in the moment and not getting worked up about anything. Do you know what their secret to a happy, in shape life was? I’ll tell you:
Every single person in this picture smoked at least a pack of cigarettes a day
You
can forbid advertising for poisonous products, but this isn't
advertising, is it?!
No, it's
free speech, and free speech is
good! Free speech, i.e. the
right to tell lies to make a buck, is a
human right, and you are a
radical-left fascist communist if you take away my right to do that. Only ineffective bureaucracies would consider doing that!
By the way, let me know when RFK Jr., Trump, MAHA and MAGA start
"throwing money at the availability of healthier food."
So far, they seem to be busy doing the opposite:
Congress Passes Mega Bill that Harms School Meal Programs (School Nutrition Association, July 3, 2025)
