overweight gold obesity it can be described as a very unhealthy accumulation of body fat. Excessive disposal of body fat leads to many health complications and even shortens the life expectancy of affected people. Obesity is measured in terms of body mass index, which is obtained by dividing your weight by the square of your height. A body mass index in the range of 25-30 Kg/m2 is considered overweight, but if your BMI is higher than 30 Kg/m2, it indicates that you are obese.
Clinical trials and scientific studies have confirmed that obesity is linked to various health problems such as osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and certain types of cancer. In 2013, obesity has been classified as a disease.
Obesity is primarily caused by excessive dietary energy intake, a sedentary lifestyle, genetic or endocrine disorders, medication side effects, psychological problems, or any combination of these factors. The five main causes of obesity can be described as follows:
Excessive food consumption: Our body is supposed to store excess energy from food as fat. If you can’t resist the temptation of your favorite treats, particularly fast foods and the latest sugary drinks, there can be no respite from obesity. Overeating has always been associated with wealth and fertility, but today people are becoming addicted to highly processed and unhealthy foods. People’s eating behavior can be influenced by various factors such as emotional stress, food availability, desire to enjoy some snacks while watching TV, depression, dependency on packaged foods and many more.
sedentary lifestyle: Innovation and technological advancement have paved the way for modern civilization, but our innovations and technologies are designed to help us lead comfortable lives. Our bodies are not designed to lead an inactive life, but we are using cars, escalators and even remote control devices to reduce our physical activity. Physical activity or exercise is essential to maintain your health and well-being. If you are addicted to computer games or enjoy your favorite hobby while sitting in the comfortable chair and drinking soft drinks, obesity is likely to occur.
medical conditions: Disorders in the endocrine system is the third most common cause of obesity. Certain health conditions such as hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, and depression can cause obesity. Thyroid is a hormone that is very essential for normal metabolism. Any deficiency of this hormone slows down the metabolism and people begin to accumulate fat.
In Cushing’s syndrome, excessive amounts of cortisol are produced leading to fat deposition. It is well known that some weight gain occurs during pregnancy. Avoiding breastfeeding or leading an inactive lifestyle after giving birth can make you obese. Certain medications, particularly steroids, antihypertensives, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants, are known to cause weight gain.
psychological distress: When people suffer from deep-seated emotional trauma, they try to release their emotional stress by overeating. Many people overeat when they mistake psychological emptiness for hunger. Various research studies and clinical trials have established that psychological problems lead to eating disorders. Depression is a well-known psychological problem when people overeat.
inherited genes: If your parents are obese, you are more likely to develop obesity. Genetic susceptibility is another very important cause of obesity. Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome are classic examples of genetic susceptibility, but behavioral aspects may be more important than genes. There are 56 different genes that are related to obesity phenotypes.