Srinagar, July 26 -- A new international study suggests that excessive calorie consumption-especially from ultra-processed foods-is a far greater contributor to obesity than lack of physical activity.

The research, led by Amanda McGrosky of Duke University, examined data from over 4,200 adults across 34 populations spanning six continents. These populations included a wide variety of lifestyles, such as hunter-gatherers, pastoralists, farmers, and residents of industrialised societies. The study aimed to determine whether obesity is more strongly driven by too many calories being consumed or by too little energy being expended through exercise.

Researchers analysed three key metrics:

Two main obesity indicators-body fat percentage and ...