The Evolutionary Memetics of Obesity

This article proposes a memetic approach towards the history and current high prevalence of obesity in human societies. Due to the apparent absence of genetic evolution related to obesity, a traditional gene-culture coevolutionary perspective may no longer be valid. A memetic approach helps to identify decisive historical steps in the formation of the obesogenic environment. Memetics may be even more useful for interpretating current obesity-related debates on the internet, and it may also partially explain the usually modest success of healthy lifestyle-oriented public health campaigns. Thus, the authors recommend the use of positive memetics as part of the social marketing of healthy diets and lifestyles.