The causes of the obesity epidemic remain obscure, and attempted remedies have led to poor outcomes. I propose that dominant factors in obesity include malnutrition, circadian rhythm disruption, infections, and a disturbed gut microbiome; and that obesity is best addressed through diet and lifestyle interventions. In support of this view, I review both literature evidence and the remarkable weight loss success of the Perfect Health Retreats, an ancestral health program focused on nutrition and circadian rhythm entrainment. Although the program neither restricted calories nor prescribed intense physical activity, obese participants lost an average of 14 pounds in 30 days.

Abstracts and information about the Ancestral Health Symposium can be found at www.ancestralhealth.org/ahs14program.