Should health policy focus on physical inactivity rather than obesity? No

Physical inactivity is a major contributor to the global burden of disease, being associated with a range of negative consequences for health, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, reduced functional capacity, and poorer mental health.1 Clearly the promotion of both increased physical activity and reduced inactivity must be important elements of any public health programme. However, a strategy that targets physical inactivity but ignores the problem of obesity is unlikely to bring overall improvements in health. We consider that such an approach is flawed.