Causes of Obesity

Posted by sanjay on Thursday 16 Apr 2009

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Right now, over thirty-one percent of the United States’ population is considered obese. People weighing over three hundred pounds are considered obese. Those weighing over four hundred pounds are considered morbidly obese. Obesity occurs in a person when there is an increase in the amount of fat tissue in their body.

We all need food to sustain our lives and provide us with energy to perform the physical tasks that our lives require. Our bodies store fat for energy. But when we do not expend any energy, the fat remains on our bodies. In addition to leading a stagnant lifestyle, our eating habits have also contributed to the high obesity rate. Many people choose to binge eat unhealthy, fast foods that are high in fat and calories. To find out what causes obesity and some of the warning signs, read the article below.

What are the causes of obesity?
There are many causes of obesity ranging from lifestyle habits, to genetics, to outside influences. The way a person lives their life is a key contributor to obesity. Those that prefer to follow unhealthy diets that are high in fats, calories and sugars are prone to becoming obese. Most people who tend to overeat and make poor food choices tend to lead a more stagnant lifestyle than someone who makes healthy food choices.

Obesity can also be related to health problems such as a slow metabolic rate or hypothyroidism. Many uncontrollable factors can lead to obesity such medical problems, mental health issues, stress, and genetics. Women who have gained a lot of weight during a pregnancy and are unable to take the weight off may follow on the path of obesity.

What are symptoms of obesity?
Obesity can affect every aspect of your body’s ability to perform properly. Because of the excess amount of weight on an obese person’s body, their organs such as the heart and lungs have to work much harder just to take in oxygen and pump blood throughout the body. For this reason, obese people suffer from many breathing problems such as sleep apnea, snoring and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). An obese person’s heart is hit hardest because of the disease. Obese people are at a higher risk to have heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and strokes.

Obesity affects the way a person goes about their life. Because of the excess weight, the person may not be able to clean their body properly. As their appearance suffers, their self-esteem diminishes and they are left feeling depressed and cast out of society. Obesity is linked to many other medical problems such as certain gender specific cancers, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and gastroesophageal problems. Obesity is a serious disease that can significantly shorten a person’s life expectancy.