Obesity And Its Causes

Obesity is a disorder that involves an excess amount of fat in the body. It is associated with a higher risk of health issues like type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, and cancer.

If a person’s body weight is 20% higher than normal, then that person is considered obese and this is one of the most common problems seen in both women and men. And one of the leading causes for deaths worldwide with an increasing number of adults and children as well.

So, what causes obesity and how can we prevent them? Just keep on scrolling to know the answers!

What Are The Causes Of Obesity?

Obesity is often caused by an imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. But, it's not always about the calories or leading sedentary lifestyle; they are just indeed causes of obesity. There are many reasons why people find it difficult to avoid obesity. Usually, it results from a combination of inherited factors combined with environmental and personal diet choices.

Check out the causes of obesity and how to deal with it.

Too Little Exercise:

Many people lead a sedentary life when compared with their parents and grandparents. The less a person moves around the less calories they burn. In addition, physical activity can help you to keep insulin levels stable and may lead you to lose weight or reach your weight loss goal soon.

According to several studies, it has been suggested that regular physical activity is the key factor for maintaining and improving many aspects of health including weight gain.

You can include some simple cardio exercises like physical activities like walking, running, jumping, climbing stairs, jogging, and all household activities. However, the type of intensity of activity may affect the degree to which it benefits your body from the short to the long run.

Diet:

Obesity can easily develop when you take or consume more calories than you use. The imbalance of calories leads to the storage of fat in the body.

Limiting processed food is one of the most effective ways to prevent obesity. Even overconsumption of added sugar is also considered a risk factor in the long-term development of obesity. Added sugar refers to all sugars that are added to food, rather than those that occur naturally in our body.

Not Getting Enough Sleep:

Sleep deprivation is another popular cause that is linked to gaining weight because it leads to hormonal changes that increase appetite.

When a person doesn't get enough sleep in a day, their body produces a hormone called ghrelin that stimulates appetite. At the same time, lack of sleep also results in lower production of leptin which is a hormone that suppresses appetite.

Stress:

Chronic stress also causes the body to activate biological pathways involving stress-related factors and stress hormones which leads the body to hold on to extra weight easily.

You can easily prevent stress by choosing some of the healthy ways like going for walks with your favourite people, doing regular exercises, bonding with your pet, and taking time to prepare your favourite meal.

Genetics:

Genetics is the number one cause of obesity. Even studies have found that variants in genes contribute to obesity including those that may influence behaviours and metabolism. As I said earlier obesity is caused by interactions among multiple genes as well as environmental factors.

Medical Conditions:

Obesity is also linked with many medical issues, medications, and injuries too. There are few medical conditions that automatically lead you to gain weight by slowing your metabolism, reducing mobility and increasing your appetite.

Below is a list of medical conditions, that often results in gaining weight:

Hypothyroidism
Arthritis and other chronic conditions.
Hormonal conditions
Insulin resistance
PCOS

Below is a list of medications that result in gaining weight.

Antidepressants
Antihistamines
Anticonvulsants
High blood pressure medications
Corticosteroids
Diabetic medications including insulin

Psychological factors like depression, anxiety, sadness, anger, or stress also contribute to obesity due to binge eating disorder.

If you are one of those who have gained weight due to medical conditions or after starting the medication it's important to consult your doctor to take necessary precautions.

Environment And Community:

Well, the environment at home, school, and in your community also has some influence on what you eat and how active you are.

Here are some signs that tell you that you’re at higher risk for obesity:

Living in an environment with limited healthy food options or with high- calorie food options.
Don't have any place to go for a walk or to do exercise
Haven't learned to cook healthy meals.

Complications Of Obesity

Obesity can lead to more than simple weight gain, having a high ratio of weight gain increases inflammation in the body which is thought to be a risk factor for cancer too. Obesity is also a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Obesity is linked to many health complications such as

Heart Diseases
Type 2 Diabetes
High Blood pressure
Heart Strokes
Sleep Apnea
Arthritis
Infertility
Cancers such as breast, colon, and endometrial

What You Should Do To Prevent Obesity?

Start by doing some physical activities and following a healthy diet. Or consult your physician or doctor who may be able to refer you to a weight specialist in your area, they might suggest some lifestyle changes or sometimes they might recommend medications or weight loss surgery as well.

You can prevent weight gain and obesity by making some healthier lifestyle choices such as:

Eat well by choosing nutritious food like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and protein.
Eat high-calorie food in moderation and avoid consuming processed foods. Try keeping a journal and write down what you eat, when you eat, how much you eat, and how hungry you are. After a while, you should see all the patterns emerge so that you can plan ahead and develop strategies for handling these types of situations and stay in control.
Limit the consumption of alcohol and try to quit smoking too.
Aim for moderate exercises like biking, swimming, walking, or jogging for at least 20-30 minutes a day.
Monitor your weight regularly to stay motivated, it tells you whether your efforts are working and can help you to detect small weight gains before they become big problems.
Try to stick to your healthy diet plan until you see good results in your weight.