Obesity: The Causes and The Cure

Obesity. If you struggle with it, you know the pain. If you do not have a problem with obesity, you cannot understand how difficult it is to cope with. Many who are not overweight think that losing weight is as simple as dieting and adding a little exercise into one’s day. They might think that the obese person is simply lazy and lacks self-discipline. While some people who are overweight struggle with their weight because of a lack of motivation, this is not true for all people. The causes and cures for this problem can be much more complicated.

Main Cause: Lifestyle

The main cause of obesity in children or adults is an improper lifestyle. There is no getting around the fact that today’s society does not make healthy food convenient. Not only are convenience foods high in sugar and saturated fats, but they are also much cheaper than healthier options. When you combine unhealthy food with a lifestyle built around time on the computer, you set yourself up for obesity. The cure for lifestyle caused weight problems is to make lifestyle changes, even if they are not convenient.

Is There A Genetic Cause?

Many claim that there is a genetic cause for obesity. Is this possible? If you look at an obese person, chances are their children and even their parents are also overweight. However, does this mean genetics plays a part in the problem?

Not necessarily. Most families share their way of life with each other. If parents overeat and do not exercise, chances are their children will be the same way. But there does seem to be a genetic factor that affects the metabolism. Some people are simply born with a slower or faster metabolism than others. This is why some can eat and eat without gaining an ounce, while others feel as though if they look at food, they gain weight. This is possibly a genetic reason for obesity. There is no cure for genetics, but those dealing with a slower metabolism need to learn how much food their body needs, and make sure they are feeding themselves the right type of food.

Emotional Causes of the Problem

Many people who struggle with obesity have an underlying emotional reason for overeating. Somewhere in their past they turned to food for comfort, and the endorphins released in the brain by the food brought the comfort they desired. A habitual eating for comfort leads to weight gain, and struggles with losing weight. The cure for this cause is to replace food with some other activity to bring comfort, while trying to deal with the emotional pain that is causing the eating.