Individuals make an easy target because there's an easy story to tell: that they have bad habits and little willpower. The problem is that this story is incompl

Individuals make an easy target because there's an easy story to tell: that they have bad habits and little willpower. The problem is that this story is incomplete. The US, at least, is a society which actively incentivizes the preconditions for obesity. The USDA's food pyramid (and now plate) promotes a high carb inflammation diet designed for US agriculture, not citizen health. School food programs (partially based on this) are not healthy and set the stage for later dietary behavior. Grains, meats, and dairy are subsidized by the government making them artificially cheap compared to whole fruits and vegetables. Unhealthy food is enshrined in culture and pushed through advertising. Food deserts are a reality for a large portion of the population. A better strategy would be to target the problem closer to its source. Incentivize the production of healthier crops and healthier food products. This gives consumers lots of feedback on their choices--each time they go to a supermarket or a restaurant and see prices and nutritional information--as opposed to the occasional doctor visit where they learn just how bad the situation has become. Ultimately, it's simply unfair the way we treat the sick when we've set them up for failure. Let's create a food-to-health system rather than a system that taunts and then punishes.