... then the solution must be more dieting starting earlier in life and including every member of the family. If only someone authorized every meal eaten in a lifetime, people would weigh less. Or not.

But the important part is, someone has the authority to control what other people do. That has to produce improvement, right?!

Even if some people die sooner because of yo-yoing weight.

Okay, if dieting doesn't work because there are factors beyond diet, then exercize or diet and exercize have to work, right?

Well, yes.

True, most people are not interested in exercizing, as the article notes. And non-athletes who exercize are likely to suffer injuries, which sometimes allows them to stop before the increased risk of a heart attack can have an impact.

But some people can stick to a diet and undergo exercize without apparent harm. And that does produce a small but noticeable decrease in blood pressure. Approximately 1/10th of the amount needed to make them healthier.

Because of these difficulties, I've read that many Doctors will prescribe medication, which does have significant beneficial effect, and not bother with futile diet and exercize exertions.

But that seems wrong. After all, an order to exercize means someone has authority over what someone else does. And that has to be satisfying, at least for the one in control, right?!

The real antagonist for the controllers is that people have a natural weight and a natural amount of activity. Trying to change them is rarely advantageous. (And that's another result of published studies, not my opinion.)

I appreciate the homesty which has led to the current level of general understanding about "preventive medicine", also known as making statements that control what other people do. When the facts are recognized, I am optimistic that behavior will be more sensible. Not ordinary human behavior, but the actions of those who want to control them.