Appropriateness standards can help to curb the epidemic of overweight: response to Dewitte and to Herman and Polivy

Abstract

In our paper ‘Obesity, overconsumption and self-regulation failure: The unsung role of eating appropriateness standards', we argued that it is not the omnipresent availability of palatable foods alone – what is generally called the ‘obesogenic environment’ – that should be held responsible for the epidemic of overweight, but also the absence of norms of appropriateness about what, where and when to eat, that goes hand in hand with this abundant presence of foods. Siegfried Dewitte and Peter Herman and Janet Polivy shared their thoughts about this proposition and we appreciate the opportunity to discuss this issue more elaborately.

Keywords:

• overconsumption
• appropriateness standards
• obesogenic environment

This article refers to:

Eating standards fade in the wake of emerging food abundance–commentary on De Ridder, De Vet, Stok, Adriaanse, & De Wit (2012)

Can clear standards of appropriate intake reverse the obesity epidemic? Commentary on De Ridder et al. (2012)