Why I Blame the Commercial Food Industry for the Global Obesity Crisis

 By Kassaundra Ferm 

16 November 2025 

Sri Lanka Food Landscape

My research for my bachelor's degree focused on non-communicable diseases in Sri Lankan school children and how a shift towards a more Westernized diet, including exposure to ultra-processed foods and fast-food chains within walking distance of schools, infiltrates all neighborhoods. I was interested in understanding how policies should change to reduce exposure to Westernized diets for these children and how to better address the obesity crisis, which is seeing a continuous rise in the number of people affected by non-communicable diseases in the country, impacting both youth and adults. This issue is related to the nutrition transition, which is the idea that lower-income countries becoming more Westernized and opening their markets are receiving more cheaply manufactured foods from other countries. This change in diets and lifestyles due to globalization leads to differences in eating habits and behavior. 

While malnutrition still persists in impoverished areas, many people in Colombo and other parts of Sri Lanka are experiencing increased weight gain, risk of heart disease, and obesity. Despite the bleak outlook of my research, I concluded that measures could be implemented to limit the types of companies that can operate near urban schools. For example, in Colombo, there should be a ban on fast-food chains within walking distance, and penalties should be imposed on shop owners who promote and sell ultra-processed foods and sweetened beverages, such as Pepsi and other Western products that are increasingly popular and easily accessible to young people. In rural areas, where there are fewer intense advertisements and fast-food outlets, education and preventive measures should be implemented to limit advertising and fast-food exposure, thereby protecting young people. 

Traditional Food in Sri Lanka

The most effective solution, in my view, is to encourage people to consume their traditional foods, which have sustained communities for hundreds or thousands of years—such as fruits, vegetables, a variety of curries, healthy seafood, and homemade, colorful foods rich in vital nutrients, vitamins, and minerals essential for a healthy, long, and happy life—rather than opting for cheap biscuits from nearby convenience stores. Given my background in this research, I also wondered if there are any countries that have successfully prevented the rise of non-communicable diseases—places where they have effectively tackled how to educate or prevent people from eating ultra-processed foods, sedentary lifestyles, smoking, and alcohol consumption, which are all modifiable risk factors for health issues. The United States, for instance, is seeing increases in obesity and NCD rates. So, what can the U.S. do? And what about countries like Sri Lanka and India? How can they protect their populations and improve the quality of life, thereby reducing healthcare burdens through better practices and education, so that people worldwide—whether in a small village in Yemen or the bustling city of Delhi—can live healthy, high-quality lives, regardless of their socioeconomic status or origin? 

In this blog, I aim to explore the strategies countries are implementing to prevent or reduce NCDs. Is this more of a government responsibility or an individual one? Should policies focus more on government intervention—such as preventive measures, bans, or taxes on certain foods and businesses—or on private education and NGO programs that teach children and adults about lifestyle choices and their role in health? Or is the key a combination of both approaches? This might be the core of the solution. 

Why Individual Responsibility Can't Solve the Obesity Crisis

I have to be honest. When the conversation turns to obesity, it’s often accompanied by judgment about a perceived lack of personal willpower. I even find myself blaming people for not making lifestyle choices when they suffer from obesity and poor mental health. However, the scientific community is increasingly unified in rejecting the narrative that non-communicable diseases are solely a matter of personal responsibility. The evidence suggests that the "blame-the-victim" mindset prevalent in our current culture is largely a convenient distraction, fueled by commercial interests that seek to deflect attention from deeper, systemic causes (Brownell et al., 2010; White et al., 2020). The truth is, we are not failing as individuals. In reality, we are swimming against a powerful and engineered current. This current is the commercial food system, which floods our environment with cheap, aggressively marketed, and highly palatable food, all of which are optimized for corporate profit rather than our personal health. The stakes are immense: with obesity rates soaring and future projections showing truly alarming global growth (Ng et al., 2024), our chance of meeting the 2030 targets for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is severely at risk (Ren, 2020). Whether we look at Norway, which manages the issue with varied results (Meyer, 2024), or proactive nations like South Korea, which has pursued national anti-obesity strategies (World Obesity Federation, 2022), the conclusion is the same: only strong and integrated policy interventions can correct the market failures that push us toward unhealthy eating every single day.

Drawing Lines in the Food Environment

Governments have taken direct aim at the food environment through regulation, but success has proven to be a complex and ever-changing target. Early efforts focused on specific environments. For instance, South Korea passed the Special Act on Safety Management of Children's Dietary Lifestyle in 2010 (Republic of Korea, 2010), a government program aimed at restricting the marketing and sale of unhealthy foods near school zones. More recently, the focus has shifted to the point of purchase. Front-of-Pack (FOP) nutrition labeling is a highly effective tool because it simplifies bewildering nutritional information. We saw the power of this in New Zealand, where the voluntary Health Star Rating (HSR) system successfully incentivized companies to reformulate their products. New Zealand's successes with their change to packaging prove that smart labeling compels the industry to improve what's inside the box (N. Mhurchu et al., 2017).

But industry is endlessly adaptive. Initial efforts to restrict the advertising of unhealthy foods to children, such as Singapore's guidelines (Committee on Guidelines for Food Advertising to Children, 2014), have encountered a "digital loophole." Companies simply migrated their marketing budgets away from regulated TV screens and onto sophisticated digital platforms. This means social media influencers, online games, and personalized ads are now delivering extensive and high-impact marketing for unhealthy products directly to adolescents (Fretes et al., 2025). This cat-and-mouse game demonstrates that for regulation to be truly effective and hold companies accountable for their digital adverse effects, it must be mandatory and comprehensive enough to cover every screen a child sees. 

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Taxing the Unhealthy and Subsidizing the Healthy

When governments use fiscal policy, such as taxes and subsidies, they are directly influencing the pocketbook and, consequently, purchasing behavior. Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a common example and have, in many cases, successfully reduced sales of these products. However, taxing is not a silver bullet. Evidence from China revealed a crucial hitch of the substitution effect. When the SSB tax made sugary drinks more expensive, consumers did not necessarily switch to water. Chinese consumers shifted their spending to other inexpensive and unhealthy products, such as sweet snacks, which ultimately undermined the public health goal (Liu et al., 2025). China's policy implementation failure reminds us that the way policies are designed to address nutritional interventions matters deeply. 

On the other hand, subsidies, which lower the cost of fresh and healthy foods, show a powerful and undeniable promise. Research confirms that financial incentives are highly effective in promoting the purchase and sustained consumption of nutrient-dense foods, particularly when targeting healthy categories (An, 2012). We can gather from these lessons that effective financial policy must be two-sided. The government should not only punish unhealthy choices, but also provide alternatives. They must actively work to make the healthy choice the easy, affordable, and most attractive choice.

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Education is a Necessity

Nutrition education often sits at the heart of the "individual responsibility" model. In fact, a recent pre-experimental study in Peru demonstrated its potential. The study demonstrated that a 16-week program significantly improved adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and dietary practices (Vasquez-Mamani et al., 2025). Notably, this education even led to positive short-term changes in physical measurements, such as BMI and waist circumference (Vasquez-Mamani et al., 2025).

But we must confront the program's inherent limitations. The results were short-lived, external factors were hard to control, and relying on self-reported data always carries the risk of bias. The researchers themselves concluded that education is only effective when "integrated into a comprehensive strategy." This means we need to care more about implementing policies alongside offering education to every individual. Teaching someone to eat more fruits and vegetables is futile if they live in an environment where a processed 99-cent meal is instantly available to them on every corner. Education is necessary, but it is not, and never will be, a standalone solution (Brownell et al., 2010).

Systemic Nuance and the Path Forward

The path forward is targeting the structure of the food system itself. We need to introduce a more nuanced approach to tackle policy targets. For instance, academic critiques argue that we should not only target the Nova classification for ultra-processed foods, which categorizes foods based on the level of processing. The real culprit is the quality of one's diet, with excess sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats that can be found in both ultra-processed and non-processed foods (Wang & Sun, 2024). This is a complex issue, and using specific and science-backed nutrient profiling models to guide policy and target nutrient content is more effective than focusing solely on the level of food processing (Wang & Sun, 2024). The Nordic Keyhole and Nutri-Score, used in Scandinavian countries, are good examples of ways to improve packaging and nutrient profiling, making consumers more aware of their food choices and whether their foods are high or low in nutritional quality (Moshtaghian et al., 2025). 

Nutrition Education 

To achieve healthier populations, we must acknowledge that the commercial food system's core business model prioritizes generating massive profits from high-volume sales of processed food, which directly contradicts public health goals (White et al., 2020). From this research, it is clear that if a country aims to address the rise of non-communicable diseases, a multi-pronged approach is necessary, involving mandatory regulation that catalyzes system-wide change (White et al., 2020). There needs to be strategically designed financial tools that realign economic incentives and new integrated health efforts across the entire lifespan. For instance, Singapore has implemented the Healthier SG strategy to address preventive healthcare through public-private partnerships (Foo et al., 2025). We must move past the futile "individual blame game" and actively design an environment where the healthy choice is the easiest and most accessible option. 

Malaysian 7 Eleven Products

Standing here in Langkawi, Malaysia, which is a beautiful and bustling island, I see the policy challenge laid bare as a traveler. The sheer volume of ultra-processed commercial junk food in the ubiquitous convenience stores is astounding. I'm bombarded with choices, from green pea snacks and cottage fries to milk tea bottles packed with all the sugar recommended for the day, Milo, and various other sugary and fatty drinks. How can we possibly blame an individual for picking the easy, colorful option when they have no idea what they're doing to their bodies? This confusion is compounded by a lack of protective labeling. Unlike the clear front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition warnings seen in Norway and Denmark, there are none here, and many people lack the educational background to understand the meaning of ingredients like hydrogenated oils, maltodextrin, or emulsifiers. And with the food industry's profit motive driving sales, the more people see their products, the better. I found it particularly interesting that this island, known for its duty-free status, features shops with every packaged chocolate bar imaginable and ultra-processed coffee powders full of sugar, which makes unhealthy choices incredibly cheap and accessible.

Local Malaysian Eatery

Yet, hope persists. As I walk around Kuah, I see that the traditional food culture remains vibrant. The local eateries, often called warungs, are everywhere, selling all sorts of cooked vegetable curries, fruits, herbs, and fish curries. As a budget traveler, I gravitate toward these establishments, topping my plate with diverse vegetables and opting for lean protein sources like sardines or chicken liver because they are affordable and nutritious. This is the crucial difference: I have the education on portion control. I avoid consuming too much rice, which can impact insulin levels and increase the need for vegetables and fiber. Therefore, I opt for healthier proteins, such as Omega-3-rich fish, over deep-fried or fatty cuts. While greasy and deep-fried chicken, as well as huge portions of rice, are still available at these traditional places, there needs to be more government intervention on the educational front. Education remains a significant aspect; the government needs to ensure that the Malaysian population, for instance, is aware of portion sizes and the benefits of consuming more vegetables. However, this awareness cannot stand alone (Brownell et al., 2010).

My journey, from the streets of Colombo, where I studied the infiltration of fast food, to my current observations in Malaysia, has solidified my conviction that the solution lies in a combination of government mandates and individual education. It is an integrated approach involving systemic change. If countries like Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and India are to protect their populations and reduce crippling healthcare burdens, they must draw on global lessons. This involves mandatory regulation that catalyzes system-wide change (White et al., 2020), strategically designed financial tools, and new integrated health efforts, like Singapore’s Healthier SG strategy (Foo et al., 2025). The government must tackle the commercial food system's nutritional impact, educate people in schools and workplaces, and strictly limit the digital advertising of unhealthy foods (Fretes et al., 2025). We must move past the futile "individual blame game" and actively design an environment where the healthy choice is the easiest and most accessible option. I have faith and hope that I can be a part of the solution, systematically changing societies to recenter the food landscape around traditional, healthy, and cheap local ways of eating. 

Food Labels 

We can change the world—as seen in the examples of Korea, Singapore, and New Zealand—by using government action and changes in the commercial food industry to improve public health. 

What individual choices will you make today towards a healthier life? How can you promote healthier policies and food choices in your community? How can the American government change the food industry for the better? I hope you found this as fascinating as I did.

References 

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Brownell, K. D., Kersh, R., Ludwig, D. S., Post, R. C., Puhl, R. M., Schwartz, M. B., & Willett, W. C. (2010). Personal responsibility and obesity: A constructive approach to a controversial issue. Health Affairs, 29(3), 396-40.3 https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/46953724/379.full-libre.pdf.

Committee on Guidelines for Food Advertising to Children. (2014). Food and Media Industries to Comply with Guidelines for Food Advertising to Children from 1 January 2015 (Press Release). Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS) and Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE). https://asas.org.sg/Portals/0/Code/Press_release_Food_advertising_guidelines_for_children.pdf.  

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Fretes, G., Veliz, P., Narvaez, A. M., Williams, D., Sibille, R., Arts, M., & Leroy, J. L. (2025). Digital Marketing of Unhealthy Foods and Non-alcoholic Beverages to Children and Adolescents: A Narrative Review. Current Developments in Nutrition, 9(2), 104545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.104545. 

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