Weight Gain Causes - Weight Management Newport Beach

Weight Gain Causes

Although there are genetic and hormonal influences on body weight, ultimately excess weight is a result of an imbalance of calories consumed versus calories burned through physical activity. If you consume more calories than you expend through exercise and daily activities, you will gain weight. Your body stores calories that you don’t need for energy as fat.

The following factors — usually working in combination — can contribute to weight gain and obesity.

• Heredity. You have a higher risk of obesity if it runs in your family.
• Metabolic disorders. If your body’s metabolism changes, it may affect your energy balance and weight.
• Diet. Regular consumption of high-calorie foods (Example: fast-food), or increasing portions contribute to weight gain. High-fat foods are dense in calories. Loading up on soft drinks, candy and desserts also promote weight gain. These foods and beverages are high in sugar and calories. In general, eating away from home also increases calorie intake.
• Inactivity. Sedentary people are more likely to gain weight because they don’t burn calories through physical activities.
• Quitting smoking. Smokers tend to gain weight after quitting. This weight gain may be partially due to nicotine’s ability to raise the rate at which your body burns calories (metabolic rate). When smokers stop smoking, they tend to eat more and are burning fewer calories. Smoking also effects taste, therefore cessation of smoking contributes to food both tasting and smelling better. Although these days there are major health concerns about extra weight, they are still not as extreme as the health threat of cigarette smoking.
• Pregnancy. During pregnancy a woman’s weight necessarily increases. Some women find this weight difficult to lose after the baby is born. This weight gain may contribute to the development of obesity in women.
• Certain medications. Corticosteroids and tricyclic antidepressants, in particular, can lead to weight gain. Also, weight gain can contribute to high blood pressure and antipsychotic medications.
• Medical problems. Uncommonly, obesity can be traced to a medical cause, such as a low thyroid function or excess production of hormones by the adrenal glands (Example: Cushing’s Syndrome). In addition, it’s unclear whether polycystic ovarian syndrome contributes to obesity. Some medical problems such as arthritis, can lead to decreased activity, which may result in weight gain.

Any one or combination of these factors can lead to obesity. Inherited conditions can’t be changed, however, you have the power to change your behavior patterns and improve your own health and well-being.