The Impacts of Complex Social, Environmental, and Behavioral Factors on Obesity

Abstract

Obesity is a prominent global phenomenon of this century related to the several chronic diseases and associated mortality. Social determinants and environmental factors could play an important role among humans in the adoption of certain behaviors leading to the obesity and related health issues. This makes obesity a complex public health issue dependent on several physiological, pathobiological and psychological phenomena. This manuscript is an attempt to examine the complex interrelationship between the social environment, social determinants, and behavioral factors and their role in the development of the adverse health outcomes. The article also describes a few examples examining the impact of selected public health interventions on behavioral modifications among study samples/populations that could lead to the healthier lifestyles and decrease in obesity.