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Graeme Tomlinson@thefitnesschef_Instagram

We are constantly told obesity is caused by fast food, so-called junk food, insulin spikes from eating carbs

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what it claims

Weight gain and obesity are not directly caused by specific foods (such as sugar or spreads) or by a simple lack of willpower, but result from a complex set of environmental, socioeconomic, and psychological factors that promote a chronic caloric surplus.

holds up

Scientific research largely aligns with this multifactorial perspective. The World Health Organization (WHO), relying on vast observational data, presents excess weight as a…

noli's read

Scientific research largely aligns with this multifactorial perspective. The World Health Organization (WHO), relying on vast observational data, presents excess weight as a complex condition resulting from environmental and psychosocial interactions, rather than a simple individual choice. Furthermore, a literature review published in *Clinical Medicine* (2023) confirms that biopsychosocial factors influence weight far more than personal responsibility alone. The limited impact of body mass index (BMI) in highly athletic profiles is also a methodological fact validated by expert consensus, as BMI does not distinguish between muscle mass and fat mass. Nevertheless, while an isolated food does not create excess weight on its own, the increased accessibility of highly energy-dense products remains identified by IARC expert reports as one of the primary drivers of positive energy balance globally. The creator is therefore correct to value empathy and an understanding of global causes rather than demonizing individual foods.

the sources

  1. 1Hall KD, Heymsfield SB, Kemnitz JW, et al. 2012
  2. 2Rolls BJ 2009
  3. 3Stewart TM, Williamson DA, White MA 2002
  4. 4Neumark-Sztainer D et al. 2007
  5. 5Malik VS, Hu FB 2019
  6. 6Yang Q, Zhang Z, Gregg EW, et al. 2014
  7. 7Westwater ML, Fletcher PC, Ziauddeen H 2016

Claimed by Graeme Tomlinson. Noli grades the claim, never the person.

Decoded by Noli · July 13, 2026 · the original post

What the graded evidence says

Evidence
B
Effect
ad libitum energy intake as a function of dietary energy density — lowering dietary energy density consistently reduces spontaneous calorie intake at matched food weight/fullness; body-fat change tracks the resulting energy balance
Measured on
general adults

What’s uncertain

Energy balance is the driver, but it's affected by many things (satiety, food quality, sleep, activity), so it's not about rigid calorie math. 'Fat-burning' or 'negative-calorie' foods are a myth.

Graeme Tomlinson in the Register85 claims graded · solidity 93/100See their record →

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