I agree. I think a good chunk of the obesity epidemic can be explained by obesity being underdiagnosed in the past. Doctors simply were not tracking it and BMI standards did not exist like today. Second candidate, increased food palatability and calories density.
Even some of the Founding Fathers appeared obese or overweight, and this long predates the invention of processed foods https://greyenlightenment.com/2022/12/26/why-people-are-gett...
It's evident obesity existed well before it became recognized as a major public health problem.
As Mr. Yglesias notes, rising obesity rates correlate with increased national wealth. Wealthier countries tend to have bigger, heavier people due to better nutrition, cheaper food, increased food production, etc. This is a welcome development, up to a point. We've crossed that point, obviously. It's time to find solutions. Having half the country obese is a travesty.