What factors contribute to weight gain?
Obesity is a complex issue and there are many different factors that contribute to people gaining weight. In very simple terms, we gain weight when we consume more calories than we burn through activity.
Diet and physical activity levels are the most important factors when it comes to why we put on weight and are topics that we are going to explore in depth throughout this course.
However there are many other aspects that can influence our weight. Some of these are within our control, others are not. These include:
Environment
Where we live, work and socialise plays a role in our diet and lifestyle which ultimately impacts our weight.
If you don’t live near a supermarket then access to fresh, affordable foods can be difficult. Perhaps the surrounding area doesn’t have parks, safe areas to walk or access to affordable gyms or community centres which can make it hard for people to be physically active or have community support. Or you may have to rely on a car to commute to work which increases the amount of time spent sitting.
Genetics
Some genes are linked with obesity and overweight.
Different genes can influence how we use and store calories or regulate our food intake.
A mutation in the MC4R gene is the most common gene problem to cause severe weight issues but it is still rare. In this situation the pathway that affects the appetite is affected so people can feel hungry even after eating quite a bit of food
There are also some genetic disorders that can directly cause obesity.
Health conditions & medications
There are some health conditions and medications that may cause overweight and obesity.
Conditions related to hormones such as underactive thyroid, Cushing’s syndrome and polycystic ovary syndrome can cause weight gain. Some medications namely steroids, some antidepressants and seizure medications can also make people put on weight.
External cues
External cues in relation to food can be described as an event that stimulates a food related response. You may not even be aware of them happening.
There are many external cues that encourage us to eat, even when we may not be hungry.
Smell plays a big part in the desire of certain foods – think about the smell of freshly baked bread, or bacon cooking or even vinegar as you walk past a fish and chip shop.
Emotions
How we are feeling can affect our choice of foods and how we feel about ourselves, which can ultimately drive us to eat more.
Many people turn to food for comfort when they are feeling sad, stressed, bored or out of control. Our mood affects what types of food we eat and can become a coping mechanism. It can be hard to change a habit like emotional eating, but it is possible. We are going to explore this in more depth later on in this course.
Comments:
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Comment by juel- 40876 on 05/11/2024 at 2:52 PM
Outside influences definetly contribute. Not all family members are on board and their poor diet can and has effected my weight over the years. Diet at work was a major factor too. Now that I’ve ended work life I can take back control of my food intake. I am not an emotional eater but am a boredom eater.
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