The general perception of obesity today is more pessimistic than optimistic with words like “global epidemic”, “important problem” or “scourge” that are omnipresent in the popular media as well as in the scientific community. The corollary of this widespread message is obviously a greater pressure on obese individuals towards weight loss. However, an accumulating body of evidence suggests that a focus on weight loss as an indicator of success is not only ineffective at producing thinner, healthier bodies, but also damaging, contributing to food and body preoccupation, repeated cycles of weight loss and regain, reduced self-esteem, eating disorders, and weight stigmatization and discrimination. It is thus time to shift the focus away from body weight and center our efforts on the promotion of a healthy lifestyle if we really want to have an impact on the health of the population in the long term and reduce the burden on individuals with obesity.

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