The real reason that people are obese:

[The real reason that people are obese]

Observation:

The activity levels of grandmothers and mothers during pregnancy determined the fatness of future generations.

But was my observation correct?

And if so, what were the mechanisms?

Non-genetic evolution is the primary determinant of obesity — not gluttony, fast food or genes.

The best solution to the obesity epidemic is to encourage would-be mothers to increase their levels of physical activity so that they can prepare their metabolism for pregnancy and have leaner, healthier children.

As it turned out, the idea that the uterine environment affects the fetus is commonplace in evolutionary biology and has been observed across many species.

Known as “accumulative maternal effects,” it describes how a mother’s age, size, fat stores and behavior, including physical activity, affect not only her health and metabolism but also that of future generations.

Archer is a physiologist and obesity theorist at the Nutrition and Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham. This article was produced by New Scientist.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-real-reason-that-people-are-obese/2015/06/15/e3841e56-eaa7-11e4-9a6a-c1ab95a0600b_story.html