Obesity means having excess body fat. Obesity is a not just a cosmetic concern, but also a chronic disease that requires long-term management. Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States and every one out of three Americans is obese. Obesity is a risk factor for several health issues including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease. Obesity is difficult to treat and has a high relapse rate. Even modest weight loss of 5%-10% of initial weight and long-term maintenance of that weight loss can bring significant health benefits.
BMI
BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight for adult men and women. I also like to check the body fat percentage. HCG weight loss plan is unique as it targets body fat and preserves the muscle mass.
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
Causes of Weight Gain
The balance between calorie intake and energy expenditure determines a person’s weight. If a person eats more calories than he or she burns, the person will gain weight (excess calories will store as body fat). Therefore, the most common causes of obesity are overeating and physical inactivity.
Other causes of Weight Gain
We have always been told that if you start eating more calories or cut back on your exercise, the chances are the numbers on your scale will creep upwards. But what if nothing has changed in your diet and exercise, but you are gaining weight? It’s time to look deeper into what else might be going on.
1- Genetics - A person is more likely to develop obesity if his one or both parents are obese. Genetics also affect the hormones involved in fat regulation. One genetic cause of obesity is leptin deficiency. Leptin is a hormone that signals the brain to eat less when the body has high-fat stores. When leptin is unable to send satiety signals to the brain, obesity occurs.
2- Hypothyroidism - slows metabolism
3- Menopause - slows metabolism
4- low Testosterone - slows metabolism
5- Adrenal dysfunctions - excessive cortisol is responsible for weight gain
6- Lack of Sleep - it causes a change in hormone levels to make you more hungry and you don’t feel full after eating
7- Stress - the stress hormone “cortisol” level rises with stress resulting in increased hunger
8- Antidepressants - depression itself can increase appetite, but hunger may increase once you start feeling better with medicine
9- Steroids - cause fluid retention and increased appetite
10- Oral contraceptive pills - cause water retention and increased hunger
11- Smoking cessation - increases appetite
In my next blog, I will talk about the effects of different hormones on weight gain.
