According to a new report by a government think-tank in Britain the current obesity epidemic is the result of modern life and individuals cannot be blamed for being obese due to overeating and lack of exercise.
The report titled 'Foresight' supports the theory that weight gain is a far more passive phenomenon than previously thought.
Foresight which was sponsored by the Department of Health, is the result of a two-year study into the causes of obesity involving almost 250 experts and scientists.
It is the largest study ever conducted which examines the phenomenon of obesity in the UK.
The report says the British government must wake up to the looming crisis in time and implement specific policies aimed at curbing the rapid spread of the condition.
Sir David King, the government's chief scientific adviser and head of the Foresight programme says because of the availability of energy-dense, cheap foods, labour-saving devices, motorised transport and sedentary work, obesity is rapidly becoming a consequence of modern life.
Government health policies have concentrated on encouraging people, particularly children, to lead a healthier lifestyle, eat less fattening foods and take more exercise, but King said a wholesale change in attitudes was needed.
He says the complex evidence assembled demonstrates that the notion that the current obesity epidemic arises from individual over-indulgence or laziness alone, must be changed.
He says while personal responsibility is important, the study shows the problem is much more complicated and only change across many elements of society will help tackle obesity.