There are issues with some of the ways we track this. BMI as an example, doesnt neccisarily account for things like build, body fat, muscle mass. The classic example being 2 guys of identical bmi in the obese range. One being tubby. One being a body builder.
The bad metrics go far enough that think theres at least some exageration in terms of how much fatter, and how many of us are fatter.
But much of what you’re talking about is beyond the point. Noones really arguing that were fatter and less healthy then we’ve ever been. Its not a historical trend people are looking at.
Its a near term thing, within the span where we have good public health data. This very article contains “since the 70’s” in the title. And whatever weakness we might have in terms of defining obesity and attempting to track it. There are much firmer numbers in terms of rises in diabetes rates and other complications of obesity.
We are in terms of that. Worse off now in most of those metrics, than we were over previous decades. With a clear trend line.
