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The complex systems challenge of obesity
The global epidemic of obesity presents a major and growing threat to both health and equity. The arrival of GLP1 agonist drugs has been transformational for many people, but they do not eliminate the problem, and they bring some problems of their own. Public, media and political discourse around obesity is dominated by a framing that places responsibility at the individual level, but the fundamental drivers of the problem are structural.
It has become a cliché to describe obesity as a complex problem, but all too often this rhetoric does not translate into reality. We need to move beyond cliché to examine and address complex interactions between multiple factors, ranging from structural incentives within our research systems to the actions of corporations, from sustainable food systems to tackling stigma. None of this is or will be easy, especially in the current geopolitical climate, but meaningful engagement with complexity may help us to meet at least some of these pressing challenges.
Date:
5 March 2026, 16:00
Venue:
Oxford Martin School, 34 Broad Street OX1 3BD
Venue Details:
Seminar room 1, ground floor
Speaker:
Professor Harry Rutter (University of Bath)
Organising department:
Oxford Martin School
Organiser:
Dr Lexi Earl (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address:
lexi.earl@oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk
Booking required?:
Required
Booking url:
https://www.futureoffood.ox.ac.uk/event/the-complex-system-challenges-of-obesity
Booking email:
futureoffood@oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk
Audience:
Public
Editor:
Alexandra Earl
