UK gov. think-tank, Foresight, believes that nobody is responsible for the current obesity "epidemic" plaguing the planet. What is, then? Well, modern life of course.

Modern life? From Reuters, "Stocking up on food was key to survival in prehistoric times, but now with energy dense, cheap foods, labor-saving devices, motorized transport and sedentary work, obesity is rapidly becoming a consequence of modern life," said Sir David King, the British government's chief scientific adviser and head of the Foresight program.

The British Department of Health-sponsored project is the result of a two-year-long study into the causes of obesity involving almost 250 experts and scientists.

They predicted that the so-called obesity "epidemic" would take at least 30 years to reverse.

The government has, up until now, focused policy designed to tackle obesity on encouraging people, particularly children, to lead a healthier lifestyle, eating less fattening foods and taking more exercise.

But Sir David said a wholesale change in attitudes towards obesity is required to address the problem.?

This is where the Foresight recommendation gets tricky. While acknowledging that there is some level of personal responsibility, it places much more emphasis on how the government can act to regulate obesity; in other words, essentially saying that any personal liability is minimal.

Is absolute govt. regulation the answer? Should there be a prohibition on "unhealthy" foods? Should cities be built such that people have to walk more to get around? That sure seems like what Foresight is suggesting to the UK government.