Optimal Weight: Are Government Goals for Reducing Obesity Sensible?

Abstract

There is no question that the prevalence of obesity in the United States has risen dramatically in recent years. Researchers and policymakers typically assume its reduction is desirable without addressing the more fundamental issue of its optimal level. We argue that optimal obesity levels have increased over time and that optimal levels are not identical for all individuals or groups. We further argue that increasingly aggressive government policies intended to curb obesity are inappropriate. There is little evidence that obesity stems from some sort of market failure. And even if a negative externality exists, government does not command the required expertise to systematically reduce its prevalence toward optimal levels.