OBESITY (A Threat To Healthy Life) Part-II

OBESITY

What causes obesity?

Eating more calories than you burn in daily activity and exercise (on a long-term basis) causes obesity. Over time, these extra calories add up and cause you to gain weight.

Common specific causes of obesity include:

• Eating a poor diet of foods high in fats and calories
• Having a sedentary (inactive) lifestyle
• Not sleeping enough, which can lead to hormonal changes that make you feel hungrier and crave certain high-calorie foods
• Genetics, which can affect how your body processes food into energy and how fat is stored
• Growing older, which can lead to less muscle mass and a slower metabolic rate, making it easier to gain weight
• Pregnancy (weight gained during pregnancy can be difficult to lose and may eventually lead to obesity)

Certain medical conditions may also lead to weight gain. These include:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a condition that causes an imbalance of female reproductive hormones
• Prader-Willi syndrome: a rare condition that an individual is born with which causes excessive hunger
• Cushing syndrome: a condition caused by having an excessive amount of the hormone cortisol in your system
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid): a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain important hormones
• Osteoarthritis (and other conditions that cause pain that may lead to inactivity)

Who is at risk for obesity?

A complex mix of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors can increase a person’s risk of obesity.

Genetics

Some people possess genetic factors that make it difficult for them to lose weight.

Environment and community

Your environment at home, at school, and in your community, can all influence how and what you eat and how active you are. Maybe you haven’t learned to cook healthy meals or don’t think you can afford healthier foods. If your neighborhood is unsafe, maybe you haven’t found a good place to play, walk, or run.

Psychological and other factors

Depression can sometimes lead to weight gain, as people turn to food for emotional comfort. Certain antidepressants can also increase the risk of weight gain.

It’s a good thing to quit smoking, but quitting can also lead to weight gain. For that reason, it’s important to focus on diet and exercise while you’re quitting.

Medications such as steroids or birth control pills can also put you at greater risk for weight gain.

So,

This is all in Part-II for the Causes, and Risk Factors of Obesity.

Please stay with me for Part-III.

THANK YOU