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The world is ready, perhaps too ready, to solve their problems with a pill.

The real question is, is the world ready for fixing our lifestyles instead of searching for a panacea of pills?

> To understand why these drugs could be so revolutionary, you need to understand how obesity works—which is often different from the way it’s talked about. Many people are under the misconception that their weight can be completely controlled by diet and exercise… But researchers and doctors are more inclined to think of the condition as just that: a chronic health condition. “Our brains regulate our appetite, and they regulate our metabolism,” said Jay. For the obese, those regulations are set to retain weight. A healthy lifestyle can help prevent obesity, but when a person who’s already overweight goes on a diet, their bodies increase appetite and decrease metabolism.

It is understandable to be skeptical of an increasing medicalized world, but a society-wide “fixing our lifestyles” isn’t an answer for people who need treatment now.

For example, prolonged screen use is linked to myopia. Would it make sense to say “glasses are a panacea, but the real question is: is the world ready to rethink computer-based careers?” Sure, maybe it would be better for our health if we all were on our computers a lot less, and there are probably deep-rooted societal problems at the root of our health issues, but… I need glasses.

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