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Obesity
What causes it?
Obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than they actually use. This imbalance differs from person to person and therefore the exact cause of obesity is thought to involve other factors as well. Genetic, environmental, psychological, and regulatory factors may all contribute in varying degrees to developing obesity.
Genetic Factors
Family studies have shown that there is a correlation between the body weight of parents and their children. Studies have also shown that individuals who were adopted have a body fat distribution that is highly correlated with their biological parents rather than their adopted parents. The role of genetics in the development of obesity varies from person to person.
Environmental Factors
Lifestyle changes have contributed to the rise of obesity around the world in developed countries. These changes include the increased availability of food, reduced physical activity, increased intake of high fat foods, and decreased consumption of fruits and vegetables. Unlike genetic factors, environmental factors can be changed. Changing eating habits and increasing levels of activity are techniques to aid in weight loss.
Psychological Factors
Responding to emotions such as boredom, sadness, and anger may influence eating habits. It has been reported that overweight individuals do not suffer from psychological disorders any more often than normal weight people, but overweight individuals are more likely to binge eat. During binge eating episodes, individuals eat compulsively and greedily, losing control over how much food they are consuming. These binge episodes decrease the likelihood of losing weight.
Regulatory Factors
There are various medical conditions that may cause obesity, including the following:
- Pregnancy
- Low thyroid hormone levels
- Cushing's syndrome
- Prader-Willi-Syndrome
- Neurological disorders such as brain tumors or infections of the brain
- Medications including corticosteroids (for example, prednisone, dexamethasone, others), some antidepressants, benzodiazepines (for example, alprazolam, diazepam, others), lithium, and antipsychotics
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What causes it?
