What are the 5 main causes of obesity?

In a world where weight concerns, including the need for obesity surgery, have become increasingly burdensome, it’s important to explore the complex nature of obesity—a condition that occurs when a person’s weight is higher than what’s considered healthy for their height. This issue affects people of all ages, including children and adults. The causes of excess weight gain are not straightforward and involve various factors like how we eat, move, and sleep. By delving into these aspects, we can begin to unravel the puzzle of obesity and gain valuable insights into managing weight effectively, including considering options such as obesity surgery in Ahmedabad, where specialized medical interventions can provide a potential solution for those seeking long-term weight management.

However, the story of obesity isn’t just about personal choices and habits. External influences known as social determinants of health quietly shape our lifestyles, moulding our habits and environments. Our unique genetic makeup also plays a role, as it contributes to our predisposition to struggle with weight. Additionally, certain medications we take can impact our body weight, making it true that obesity is a complex disease.

Health Risks associated with obesity include two separate segments.

Obesity in children and obesity causes in adults are different, as are their consequences, even though there is some overlap. Let’s quickly have a glance.

Adults with obesity have higher risks for:

Stroke.
Various types of cancer.
Premature death.
Mental illnesses such as clinical depression and anxiety.
High blood pressure and high cholesterol which are risk factors for heart disease.
Type 2 diabetes.
Breathing problems, such as asthma and sleep apnea.
Joint problems, such as osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal discomfort.
Gallstones and gallbladder disease.

Childhood obesity is also associated with:

Psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.
Low self-esteem and lower self-reported quality of life.
Social problems such as bullying and stigma.
Increased risk of obesity in adulthood.
High blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for heart disease.
Type 2 diabetes.
Breathing problems, such as asthma and sleep apnea.
Joint problems, such as osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal discomfort.
Gallstones and gallbladder disease.

Here are the Top 5 Reasons for Obesity

Individuals in need of obesity treatment can benefit from consulting with a doctor for obesity treatment or finding the best obesity surgeon in Ahmedabad. AnshObecure has healthcare professionals, including Bariatric surgeons and obesity doctors, who possess expertise in addressing obesity and provide specialized care to help individuals manage and overcome their weight-related challenges.

Diet

Picture this: a typical Western diet. It’s the kind of eating pattern that many of us are all too familiar with frequent indulgence in large meals loaded with refined grains, red meat, unhealthy fats, and sugary drinks. It’s a recipe for disaster when it comes to obesity.

Let’s talk about the amount of sugar in the modern diet and lifestyle. Research reveals that a diet high in sugar causes you to gain weight. The way our food is processed can hijack our taste buds. Take strawberries, for example. When companies create strawberry-flavoured products, they often isolate one aspect of the flavour, giving us an intense, concentrated taste. Our taste buds become so accustomed to this overpowering flavour that they start ignoring the subtle nuances of the real thing. It’s a vicious cycle that keeps us reaching for processed foods over their whole, nutritious counterparts (Svisco, 2019).

Chronic Stress and emotional eating can contribute to obesity as it surpasses ups the number of calories a day you intake. Actions like eating, shopping, and drinking trigger dopamine release, but relying on food for emotional coping can lead to overeating (Konttinen, 2020).

Lifestyle changes associated with weight gain have a lot to do with the food you eat and make losing weight very hard. Plus, if you’re in a cycle of dieting for small amounts of weight loss which only lead to eating more once you’re off the diet, it may increase the risk of heart disease, renal diseases, and diabetes, though researchers are still trying to figure out why this would be.

Activity and Sleep

Of the many factors that may contribute to weight gain, physical activity and sleep cycles stand at the second place. Not having enough sleep and exercise can lead to the development of obesity as well as the risk of type 2 diabetes. It’s a leading cause of heart disease and stroke as well as a number of other underlying health conditions.

Everything can be a cause of it from watching too much television to sitting at a desk for endless minutes a day. Factors that affect waist circumference have a lot to do with being physically active. Centres for disease control all over the world have been warning people who are overweight or obese that treating obesity involves understanding what caused obesity or why they developed obesity. Plus it also affects all the health problems associated with obesity.

Prenatal and Postnatal Influences

Heredity does play a role in obesity, but its influence is generally less significant than commonly believed. Rather than being the sole cause of obesity, genes tend to increase the risk of weight gain and obesity and interact with other environmental factors, such as unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles. However, it is important to note that adopting healthy lifestyle habits can counteract these genetic effects.

Additionally, early life factors are crucial in understanding obesity risks. Pregnant mothers who smoke or are overweight may have children who are more likely to become obese adults. Excessively gaining weight during infancy also elevates the risk of adult obesity, while being breastfed may lower this risk.

Social Determinants of Health

The conditions in which we live, learn, work, and play, known as social determinants of health (SDOH), have a significant impact on our well-being. When these conditions do not support health, it can be challenging to make healthy food choices and engage in enough physical activity. These disparities in SDOH affect obesity outcomes among different racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups, as well as in various geographical locations and among individuals with different physical abilities.

Childcare centres, schools, and communities are influential settings that shape eating patterns and activity levels. They do so through the availability of foods and drinks offered, as well as the opportunities provided for physical exercise. Additionally, community factors like the affordability of healthy food options, peer and social support, marketing and promotion practices, and community design policies further impact obesity rates.

Illnesses and Medication

Obesity in adults can occur as a potential side effect of certain medications. Here are several examples of drugs that have been linked to weight gain, as noted in a study by Domecq (2015):

Certain antidepressants like amitriptyline and mirtazapine (Remeron; please refer to Important Safety Information)
Steroids, such as prednisone
Antipsychotics, including olanzapine, quetiapine (Seroquel; please refer to Important Safety Information), and risperidone
Anticonvulsants and mood stabilizers, such as gabapentin and divalproex
Diabetes medications like tolbutamide, pioglitazone, glimepiride, gliclazide, glyburide, glipizide, sitagliptin, and nateglinide

In conclusion, the battle against being overweight and obesity is an intricate one, with various factors at play. Obesity, being a complex condition, can result from a multitude of causes, including genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Physical activity, or the lack thereof, can contribute to weight gain and an unhealthy body mass index (BMI). Moreover, the risks associated with obesity, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes from insulin resistance, and high blood pressure, highlight the increased health concerns that accompany excess body fat. By understanding these intricate dynamics and adopting healthier lifestyles, we can strive towards achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.