See all the articles about this condition
Weight gain is caused by the massive storage of fat in the body, resulting in an imbalance between calorie intake and energy expenditure. However, weight gain is often the consequence of a more serious problem than simply eating too much.
Other factors can be responsible for an individual’s weight gain:
- diet,
- heredity,
- a sedentary lifestyle,
- hormonal or glandular disorders,
- psychological and/or sociological disorders,
- prescription drugs.
Factors that play a role in weight gain
Environmental factors and changes in behaviour go a long way towards explaining the increase in obesity from a diet that is too rich and a lack of physical activity. In addition, the deconstruction of meals, sedentary lifestyles and increased snacking all encourage weight gain.
Heredity also plays an important role. It has thus been shown that a child with one overweight or obese parent will have a 40 % risk of being overweight or obese in turn. If both parents have weight problems, the child will then have an 80 % risk. This risk drops to just 10 % if both parents are of normal corpulence.
Article written under the supervision of Dr Marcel ICHOU, a general practitioner in Paris
For further information: http://www.awaremed.com/underlying-obesity-causes-and-risk-factors/
Last updated: 09/08/2018
