Obesity: Causes & Risks

• What is Obesity?
• Causes & Risks 
• What About Diets? 
• Can Pills Help?
• What About Surgery?

What Causes Obesity?

Weight is largely determined by the balance between a person's intake of calories and the energy he/she expends each day. If you consume more energy than you use, your body stores the extra as fat.

There are a variety of factors that contribute to the development of obesity.

• Genetics: Some people have a genetic predisposition to gaining weight. However, not everyone with this tendency will become obese, and not all obese people have the genetic character.
• Environment: Being surrounded by bountiful amounts of high calorie foods can lead to more likely weight gain, particularly if overeating and avoidance of exercise are practiced by those with whom we associate.
• Behavior: Avoidance of obesity in an environment of abundance requires discipline and attention to one's food intake and level of exercise. Specific behavioral strategies for weight loss and maintenance include logging and tracking diet and exercise patterns in a diary, eating a low calorie diet, limiting the amount of calories from fat, expending calories routinely through exercise, monitoring weight regularly, setting realistic goals, and developing a social support network.

What Are The Health Risks?

Patients with BMIs > 30 are at increased risk for a variety of illnesses, and those with BMI above 35, life expectancy is impacted as well.

Among the illnesses seen more often in the obese are:

• Type II diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Arthritis
• Various cancers

Together with problems like the above, the obese patient has greater likelihood for back pains, carpal tunnel syndrome, sleep disorders, breathing difficulties and wound healing difficulties.