Background
Since 1980, the prevalence of obesity has doubled in more than 70 countries [1]. Worldwide, in 2015, the prevalence of children and adults with obesity was 5 and 12%, respectively. This equates to 107.7 million children and 603.7 million adults [1]. The physical and psychological consequences of obesity are well documented, including an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, adverse cardiovascular outcomes, discrimination and reduced self-esteem. Moreover, it was estimated that obesity accounted for approximately 4 million deaths and 120 million disability-adjusted life-years worldwide in 2015 [1].
The relationship between our health and the environment or places in which we reside and work, day to day, dates back centuries. It was Hippocrates who first argued that health was a product of environmental factors and highlighted a need for harmony between the individual, social and natural environment. Fast-forward to the present day and the term ‘obesogenic environment’ has been coined to refer to the influences that the surroundings, opportunities or conditions of life have on promoting obesity in individuals and populations [2]. While the causes of obesity are complex and obesity is multifaceted in aetiology, it is plausible that the condition is driven largely by environmental factors, which undermine the self-regulatory capacity that people have to make responsible decisions about personal diet and physical activity [3]. For instance, it is likely that the increased availability, accessibility and affordability of energy-dense foods, along with intense marketing of such foods, are examples of such environmental factors that, at least partly, explain excess energy intake and weight gain [4].