Abstract

Obesity has tripled in the last 50 years, affecting more than 650 million people. Radical treatment options for obesity, which has become a global pandemic, are limited. Today, the focus of health research, including obesity, is autonomy. In our study, instead of adopting an absolute definition of autonomy, it was aimed to determine how autonomy in obesity is affected and interpreted by various factors by taking into account multiple definitions of autonomy. Responsibility for the prevention of obesity is placed either on individuals or on the government due to its policies towards public health. While those who put the responsibility on individuals strengthen the stigmatizing aspect of obesity, those who hold the government responsible undermine the autonomy of individuals living with obesity. In cases where autonomy may be lost, the solution lies in providing more autonomy.