Causes of Obesity

Obesity Facts, Research on Obesity, Causes of Obesity, Overweight Calculator

What are the causes of obesity? There are few words in our culture more loaded with negative meanings than 'fat'. To be fat - especially for women - is often to feel like a social outcast. In contrast to be overly thin ('You can never be too thin,' as the saying goes), to be overweight, overly large is commonly regarded as a sign of greed and laziness - not to mention 'unhealthiness'.

But why do people become obese in the first place? What are the real causes of obesity?

The answer lies in a complex interaction between:

eating styles,
genetic inheritance,
exercise,
psychological causes and
your individual physiological 'set point'.

Research on obesity has found many related factors involved in the complex process of weight gain. Causes of obesity include:

food allergies,
nutritional deficiencies (fast food obesity),
chemical toxicity (hormones, fertilizers used in agriculture),
certain drugs, medication (contraceptives, steroid hormones, certain antidepressants and blood pressure drugs),
sluggish metabolism (low metabolic rate),
lack of exercise, physical activity,
diet high in refined and processed foods (fast food obesity),
insulin or other hormonal unbalances, such as in diabetes, hypothyroidism, PCOS,
impaired thermogenesis (the mechanism by fat is burned to produce heat) and
loss of sleep, too little sleep.

Read more about allergy treatment...

Obesity facts are, that your personal, inherited metabolic rate, depending on your age, gender and physical activity plays a key role in the maintenance of your body weight:

gender: research on obesity has found, that men have a higher metabolic rate than women, so they need more calories to maintain their body weight.
age: among the causes of obesity age plays an important role. As you are getting older, your metabolic rate slows down and you need less calories than in your younger ages. Plus, women entering the menopause their metabolic rate decreases strongly, so many women start gaining weight during the menopause.
physical activity: active people consume more calories, since physical activity speeds up the metabolism.

'Am I overweight?' 'Am I overweight for my height?'

The right weight for any individual is the subject of much debate between the fashion industry, feminists and health care practitioners. Yet, the truth is far more complex and some research on obesity have concluded that the health risks of moderate overweight (about 11kg/28lb over the conventional height weight chart limit) have been greatly exaggerated. Indeed, there is evidence that a slight overweight is healthier than excessive thinness.

According to research on causes of obesity, it is perfectly possible to be fat and fit, while trying to get thin (quick weight loss) can seriously damage your health. Excessive dieting and quick weight loss can actually lead to long term weight gain, because your body is programmed to get back to a physiological 'set point' as soon as possible. While you have been dieting to achieve quick weight loss, your metabolism has slowed down, making it more difficult to lose weight quickly next time.

The official answer on the question 'Am I overweight?' is following (Definition of Obesity):

People are technically obese - rather than simply overweight - when they weight 20 per cent or more above the normal weight for their height as measured on standard height weight chart such as the Body Mass Index (BMI).

Use this on-line Overweight Calculator to check your state:

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Even though, obesity is a condition caused by excess body fat, and NOT excess weight, the standard BMI (obtained by the overweight calculator) height weight chart takes no account of body fat percentage. Since muscles are far more heavy than fat tissues, athletes with a high proportion of muscles might be diagnosed as overweight. Therefore, the definition of obesity should be more body fat percentage, than body weight.

obesity pictures A simple overweight test to estimate the health risks of your obesity is taking a waist measurement. Stomach and abdominal fat (belly fat) has been linked to an increased risk of serious diseases. Overweight test for men: a waist measurement of 37in (94cm) or more means increased risk of obesity related ill-health, and of 40in (102cm) or more, suggests substantial risk. Overweight test for women: a waist size of 32in (80cm) or more means increased risk of obesity related ill health, and of 35in (88cm) or more suggests substantial risk.

Among the causes of obesity we find various psychological reasons such as:

being fat may be seen as a form of protection,
being overweight may be a complication of guilt, self-loathing and eating is a form of self-awarding,
during dieting, fear of and desire for forbidden food, drives the vicious circle of dieting and bingeing,
during times of excessive stress, eating or chewing can be a stress relieving action.

Fast food obesity

Addiction to sugar and other refined, white carbohydrates

fast food obesity Research on obesity has shown, that the worst and most common cause of obesity is the increased intake of sugary foods and refined, white flour carbohydrates. Those bad, highly refined carbohydrates are very quickly absorbed from the gut and cause a rapid rise of blood sugar. This blood sugar peak results an increased serotonin production in the brain and gives the feeling of happiness and contentment.

However, this type of happiness does not last long. The respond of our body to high sugar level is insulin production. Insulin decreases the blood sugar fast, turning sugar to storage fat and your high mood drops down significantly. You start craving for a next sugar boom and your sugar-addiction has started. The result of each and every blood sugar peak is increased fat storage, since the rapidly risen blood insulin turns sugar into fat and your fat cells are growing continuously.

You can see now, how sugar and refined carbohydrate addiction leads to weight gain.

This fact and the high saturated fat amount of fast food and snacks are the most important causes of fast food obesity.

Obesity solution

The only effective weight loss help is a permanent change in your eating habits, as opposed to dieting and quick weight loss. Balanced consumption of real food eaten at proper time combined with some exercise are the only treatments for obesity that work for a long period of time.

Cut down your bad, refined, highly processed carbohydrate intake (sugary foods, white flour products) and white, saturated fat consumption.
Eat instead of them plenty of good quality carbohydrates rich in fiber, whose absorption is much slower and do not cause blood sugar boom. Choose less processed carbs, such as wholemeal products, brown rice, fresh vegetables and fruit.
Proper TIMING of meals are the most essential weight loss secrets.

But, how to achieve a new eating style? How to change old eating patterns? How to stop food cravings? How to find the right TIMING of meals?

Find more, detailed information about obesity solution:

The Best Way to Lose Weight...

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