FAQS

    According to medicine.net, a few of the most common causes of obesity is:

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Physical inactivity

People who live a sedentary lifestyle burn fewer calories than people who are active. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed a strong relationship between physical inactivity and weight gain in both sexes.

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Overeating

Overeating is another common factor that leads to weight gain, especially if the diet is high in fat. Foods high in fat or sugar, such as fast food, have high energy density. High energy density foods are foods that have a lot of calories in a small amount of food. Furthermore, epidemiologic studies have shown that diets high in fat contribute to weight gain.

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Genetics

A person is more likely to develop obesity if one or both parents are obese and, in addition, genetics also affect hormones involved in fat regulation. One genetic obesity cause is leptin deficiency. Leptin is a hormone produced in fat cells and in the placenta. Leptin controls weight by signaling the brain to eat less when body fat stores are too high. If the body starts to lack in producing leptin or leptin cannot signal the brain to eat less, this regulation becomes hard and obesity occurs. 

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A diet high in simple carbohydrates

Carbohydrates increase blood glucose levels, which stimulate insulin release by the pancreas. Then, insulin promotes the growth of fat tissue and can cause weight gain. Some scientists believe that simple carbohydrates such as sugars, desserts, soft drinks, beer, etc. contribute to weight gain because they are more easily and rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream than complex carbohydrates such as pasta, brown rice, grains, vegetables, raw fruits, etc. This causes a more pronounced insulin release after meals with simple carbohydrates than complex carbohydrates; some scientists believe this higher insulin release contributes to weight gain.

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Frequency of eating

Although, the relationship between how often you eat and weight is somewhat controversial. There are many reports of overweight people eating less frequently than people who have a normal weight. Scientists have observed that people who eat small meals four or five times daily have lower cholesterol levels and lower and/or more stable blood sugar levels than people who eat large meals but less frequently. One possible explanation is that small frequent meals produce more stable insulin levels, while large meals lead to large spikes of insulin after meals.

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Medications

Medications such as antidepressants, anticonvulsants, high blood pressure medications, antihistamines, diabetes medications, certain hormones such as oral contraceptives, and most corticosteroids such as prednisone have been associated with weight gain. However, the reason for gaining weight differs for each medication. If this is a concern for you, you should discuss with your physician about your medications rather than discontinuing the medication due to the possibility of having serious effects.

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Psychological factors

For some people, eating habits are influenced by emotions. Many people eat excessively in response to emotions such as boredom, sadness, stress, or anger. Although most overweight people do not experience much more psychological disturbances than normal weight people, about 30% of the people who seek treatment for serious weight problems struggle with binge eating. 

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Diseases

There are diseases that also lead to obesity. Diseases such as insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome, and Cushing's syndrome are also contributors to obesity.

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Social issues

As for social issues, there is a link between it and obesity. For example, a lack of money to purchase healthy foods or a lack of safe places to exercise can also increase the risk of obesity.