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What is Obesity? Causes of Obesity in Adults

Article by <em>Adult Health Care Center</em>Article by Adult Health Care Center

© Ines Obregon (2022-11-11)
What is Obesity? Causes of Obesity in Adults  Globally, obesity is one of the leading causes of health problems. It is a phenomenon that involves the accumulation of fat in an person's tissues thereby making such gain excess weight and become overweight.
Research has revealed that an astonishing 45 - 70% of the adult population in the world is obese or overweight. Around the world, the prevalence of obesity has nearly doubled from 1980 to 2008. This however, is a serious concern to the world at large.

Obesity and Diseases

Obesity is one of the biggest contributing factors to poor health and a lower quality of life. Those that are obese are at a much greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer. The causes of obesity are multifaceted and range from genetic to environmental.

Obesity and Diseases
Obesity and Diseases
Obesity increases the risk of several devastating and debilitating diseases. These include:

  • Arthritis
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Malignancies such as colon, prostate, breast as well as pancreatic cancer.
However, there are also certain underlying disorders or illnesses that can sometimes contribute to weight gain such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland). It is imperative to understand that health disorders such as this do not typically cause weight problems if properly check with the correct medications.

What is Obesity?

What is obesity? Obesity is identified when an individual's body mass index (BMI) is thirty or higher. Basically, the body mass index of a person is calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms (kg) by your height in meters (m) squared.
A BMI of thirty or higher indicates that the individual is considered obese.
An individual's weight status can be estimated using the chart below:
BMIWEIGHT STATUS
Below 18.5Underweight
18.5-24.9Normal
25.0-29.9Overweight
30.0-34.9Obese Class I
35.0-39.9Obese (Class II)
40.0 and higherExtremely Obese (Class III)

Causes of Obesity

The major cause of obesity is the excess calorie intake than such an individual burns. As a result, the body stores the excess in certain tissues leading to obesity. However, obesity has been known to be caused by several conditions as well as activities. These may be behavioral, genetic as well as hormonal effects. Basically, the major causes of obesity are:

Inactivity: An individual who isn't active deprives the body system from burning calories. However, with a sedentary way of life, there is high intake of high calories meals everyday without burning the calories via exercises as well as normal activities.

Unhealthy Eating Habits: For an individual who consumes more calories that he burns, tt is imperative to understand that weight gain is unavoidable.
When you're obese, your overall quality of life may be diminished. You may not be able to do things you used to do, such as participating in enjoyable activities. You may avoid public places. Obese people may even encounter discrimination.
Other weight-related issues that may affect your quality of life include:

  • Depression
  • Disability
  • Sexual problems
  • Shame and guilt
  • Social isolation
  • Lower work achievement

Causes of Obesity in Adults

In most cases however obesity is caused by consuming more calories than are burned. The main causes of obesity in adults are unique. Below is a look at four of the most common contributing factors that cause obesity to occur in the adult population.

Causes of Obesity in Adults
Causes of Obesity in Adults

Genetics

Everyone has that one friend who can eat whatever they want and never go up another pants size. This is due to genetics. Everyone is born with a unique metabolic rate. So, just how some people can eat whatever they want in vast quantities and not have to worry about a growing gut there are others who have to be more careful about the kinds of foods they consume as well as the quantities.

Because of the variance in metabolic rates in individuals it is important to know yours well in order to avoid over-eating. If ones metabolic rate is too low it may be a sign of thyroid issues and a doctor should be consulted in order to increase metabolism.

Portion Size

Since the 1970s the average portion size in restaurants and recipe books has grown. It is also continuing to grow which signals that obesity in adults is only going to become more of a problem. Some studies have shown men are more likely to finish what is put in front of them than women.

Due to this the increase in portion sizes affects men's obesity more. Even a slight increase in portion sizes will have a cumulative effect on weight over months and years.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle is another major cause of obesity in adults. Many men become inactive during their mid-twenties when they enter the work force. This causes the amount of calories they burn to go down. This is especially true for those males that work jobs where they are sitting for the majority of the time.

If you continue eating the same amount as you were before becoming less active weight and fat will slowly accumulate. A few pounds gained a year do not seem like much but it adds up and often leads to obesity and further medical complications. Lifestyle choices such as whether or not one participates in sports and outdoor recreational activities effects obesity.

Nutrition

With junk food and fast food being affordable and readily available it is no surprise that this is one of the leading causes of obesity in adults. Fast food is such a big contributing factor because it is packed full of calories and simple carbohydrates.

The high caloric content of these meals makes the food act on the pleasure centers of the brain making the consumer feel a sense of well-being. This is why binge eating of fast foods is a common phenomenon. Men should try to avoid junk foods and find a way to reduce appetite and decrease calories intake.

Obesity Management

Achieving obesity management goals is a very complex task. The most basic goal is to reduce body weight and promote healthy body composition by exercising, eating wholesome foods at a right quantity, and sleeping enough. Weight loss is achievable through many methods including diet and exercise.
Another challenge in obesity management is to reduce body fat. The goal is to lose the fat mass (body fat) that is more than three percent of lean body mass.
The challenge in the weight loss process is to achieve a good level of physical activity by including exercise in the day. To reach the goal, a person will need to learn to identify when and how to increase physical activity, and then to increase it to the highest level possible while avoiding all the potential negative consequences like heart rate and blood pressure.

Obesity Management
Obesity Management
While obesity is a complicated issue with multiple variables, such as gender, genetics, age and even nutrition, there's still one important variable that is common in all areas of life - calories. So how do you get started?

Calories in Obesity Management

Calories are critical! They determine the type of food you eat, the energy you expend and your body's response to exercise. Your goal is to create a healthy number of calories for you - this will be referred to as your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). Your BMR is also measured even when you're healthy: you're not overweight or obese because you eat right.
Your basal metabolic rate will continue to increase over time if you eat appropriately. The goal varies depending on how much fat you have to lose, how lean you are, and to what intensity you are at your workouts.
The most common way to get started on calorie maintenance and weight loss is through an online calorie-tracking platform. You would start by creating a profile and logging your workouts and your activities. You'd then track your calories, and after a month or so, you'd check the results to see how you're doing.

Once a person has achieved this target number of weight loss, he needs to maintain his weight loss.

Obesity Management with Natural Supplements

Losing weight and creating a healthier lifestyle can be challenging. Diet plans can be boring and don't always provide what you need for success. But the most effective plan is one that is individualized.
Fortunately, natural products are able to help you manage your weight. Natural weight loss products can help you achieve your weight loss goals by managing your metabolism. They can help you keep excess calories from accumulating in your body and improve your health in the long term.
Efforts to manage weight, such as these natural weight loss products, take a lot of research and careful thought. The supplements are safe, and they can provide the benefits you are looking for. However, it is important to monitor them carefully to ensure you are getting the results you are hoping for.

Obesity Supplements
Obesity Supplements

Supplements for Weight Loss

There are several natural weight loss supplements that you can use in an effort to lose weight. These natural weight loss supplements have made a significant impact on people's lives and their weight loss efforts. They have been shown to provide effective weight loss results.

Herbal weight loss supplements have become popular due to their effectiveness. They provide the results you need without the side effects that come with conventional weight loss supplements. Many of these natural supplements are sold as dietary supplements. This means that they are meant to be taken as a part of a healthy diet.

Find the best pills to treat obesity 


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