Obesity is a complex health condition involving more than required body fat. Conditions that increase the development of obesity include stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, gallbladder disease, and hypertension. One of the misconceptions surrounding obesity is that it is caused by imbalances between the amount of energy intake and expenditure. The homeostatic theory of obesity is a new theory that was developed by David Marks in 2015. The theory argues that obesity is as a result of homeostatic imbalance in the physiological sphere. This paper aims to discuss the Homeostatic theory of obesity and link it to childhood obesity.

According to Marks, health is regulated by homeostasis. It is homeostasis that helps maintain equilibrium using feedback loops for the normal functioning of an organism. The theory provides that homeostasis imbalances stem from factors such as negative affect, environmental, genetics, and biopsychosocial mechanisms (Marks, 2015). The imbalance is directly linked to the Circle of Discontent (COD), which is a system of feedback loops that influence overconsumption of food, weight gain, and body dissatisfaction (Marks, 2015). The theory assumes that the five feedback loops of COD are mostly at equilibrium for most people. However, when a higher level of dissatisfaction or negative effect is registered, a disturbance is caused to the system regulating weight gain, resulting in obesity (Marks, 2015). Marks recommends several approaches that can help minimize the cases of obesity. The methods include using plant-based diets, reducing the intake of low-nutrients and foods, and stopping victim stigma. Read more

The prevalence of obesity among children aged 2-5 years in the United States is 13.9 percent (Nguyen, 2018). Data collected between 2015 and 2016 indicate that one in every five school-going children in the U.S are obese (Nguyen, 2018). The Homeostatic theory argues that the cause of obesity is the same for adults and children. In other words, homeostatic imbalance can be in children and equally in adults.