Applying behavioural insights to tackle obesity

ISSUE/PROBLEM: Obesity has grown into a global epidemic and represents a major challenge for public health, with rates of related comorbidities, healthcare, and societal costs continuing to rise. Current approaches to obesity prevention and management have had limited success, highlighting the need for new innovative strategies. DESCRIPTION: The narrative surrounding obesity often assumes that a lack of individual's knowledge and willpower is at the root of the problem. However, behavioural insights suggest that the problem is more complex and that people's behaviour is often irrational and influenced by many factors, such as environment, habits, emotions, or social norms. These insights can be used to design interventions that nudge people towards healthier behaviours. RESULTS: Behavioural interventions have been shown to be effective in promoting healthier behaviours and reducing obesity rates in various settings. For example, digital weight loss programmes that incorporated behavioural strategies, such as goal-setting and self-monitoring, or GPS and physical activity trackers and video or exer-games can be used with success as vehicles for delivering such behavioural-informed interventions. Also, nudge interventions that include subtle changes either in our environment or in incentive-provision have proven to be effective. LESSONS: The use of behavioural insights in obesity prevention and management has the potential to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of public health policies. However, to ensure the success of these interventions, policymakers need to consider the context and target population, as well as the ethical implications of nudging people towards certain behaviours. More research is also needed to determine the long-term effects and cost-effectiveness of these interventions. Overall, incorporating behavioural insights into public health policy can lead to more effective and sustainable solutions to the obesity epidemic.