What Are the Causes of Obesity

In this article, we will discuss obesity and the causes and tests of obesity. We will also discuss some common questions related to obesity.

What is Obesity?

Obesity is the condition when the body gains excessive fat. This is a long-term disease that affects the overall quality of life and gives rise to new medical conditions in the body. Obesity affects the self-esteem and mental health of the person and has become more common with advanced lifestyles and sedentary work cultures. A person needs to calculate his calories and have to restrict his diet habits to control the condition.

Causes of Obesity?

Obesity is the condition of attaining too much weight than normal. There are different causes of obesity and some common causes are discussed below:

Eating Habits

Eating habits are one of the common causes of obesity. Eating more calories than the body needs and not burning the extra calories that a person gains regularly without noticing. Also new saturated fat and over-processed foods with high sugar content can lead to high weight gain or obesity. A person should calculate the calories needed for his daily routine and accordingly consume food. The person should also keep a close check on his diet and exercise regularly.

Genetics

Research has shown that there are specific genes that carry obesity and these genes can affect the person. If the person is carrying these genes can have a high chance of developing obesity. If the person has a maternal or paternal side of obesity, there are chances of a person getting obese.

Medications

There are various medicines used to treat a specific condition that may result in weight gain. Medications having the side effects of weight gin are antidepressants, steroids, diabetes medications, beta-blockers, anti-seizure medications etc.

Lack of Physical activity

A person with less or no activity has the chance of getting obese. Watching TV, playing video games, spending too much time on mobile or laptops, and working too long on the computer are also some of the causes of obesity.

Lack of Sleep

Persons with less sleep hours can result in hormonal imbalance, which can result in obesity or weight gain condition. Taking regular and good sleep can help the person to keep the stability of the body which helps the hormones to work properly.

Disability

Persons with physical disabilities are one of the reasons for obesity. Disability limits the physical activity of the person, which can lead to overweight. People with disabilities should take a planned diet as needed. Any extra calories will add on and lead to obesity.

Underlying health Issues

There are various diseases, which can lead to obesity conditions. Diseases like polycystic ovary syndrome and metabolic syndrome can lead to obesity issues, mental health issues, and anxiety which drives the person to eat high-calorie foods which causes obesity.

Which tests are used for obesity?

One of the most common tests for obesity is the Body Mass Index (BMI) test, This calculates the estimation of body fat based on a person’s height and weight ratio. There are values for healthy, underweight, overweight persons and obesity. These values are mentioned below:

S. No.	BMI Category	BMI
1.	Underweight	Less than 18.5
2	Healthy Weight	18.5 - 24.9
3	Over Weight	25 -29.9
4	Obesity	30 or above

Waist Circumference

The measurement of the circumference of the waist can also give the idea of obesity. Men with a circumference of more than 102 centimetres (40 inches) and women with 89 centimetres (35 inches).

Body Fat Percentage

This test is also a measurement of obesity in the person by calculating the fat percentage in the body of a person.

Conclusion

Obesity is the condition of gaining excessive fat and is a long-term condition. Obesity is becoming more common in modern times and gives rise to other health conditions. There are various reasons for obesity like eating too much, less exercise, a sedentary lifestyle, underlying health issues etc. There are some tests that can diagnose the condition like BMI test and body fat percentage. A person should be active to avoid weight gain.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Obesity?

Obesity is the condition when the body gains excessive fat. This is a long-term disease that affects the overall quality of life and gives rise to new medical conditions in the body.