To influence an audience to support policies that change food environments rather than blame individuals, which framing approach—individual responsibility or societal issue—is strategically more effective for obesity?

Framing refers to the way an issue is presented, influencing public understanding and attitudes. For obesity, two primary framing approaches are individual responsibility and societal issue. Individual responsibility framing emphasizes personal choices, willpower, self-control, diet, and exercise as the primary determinants of body weight. This approach posits that individuals are solely accountable for their weight status, and that obesity is largely a result of their personal decisions and efforts, or lack thereof. This framing often leads to the attribution of blame and stigma towards individuals living with obesity, perceiving it as a moral failing or a lack of discipline. When an audience is exposed to this framing, the perceived solution to obesity becomes personal behavior modification, which diminishes the perceived need for broader, systemic interventions. Societal issue framing, also known as public health or environmental framing, emphasizes external fa....