Why Obesity is Not Just a Choice?

Poor food and lack of exercise are often cited as the root causes of obesity, however this is not always the case.

Some of these factors are beyond an individual's control, but they can still have a significant impact on their weight and obesity.

Among these include hereditary characteristics, environmental influences, diseases, and other variables.

There are several factors that contribute to obesity, and this article outlines nine of them.

1. Genetics and prenatal factors

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle at a young age is crucial since it sets the tone for the rest of your life. In fact, there is a lot that can be figured out about a foetus even before it is born (2Reliable Source).

The mother's food and lifestyle choices have important implications for the development of her child's brain and body.

Women who acquire too much weight during pregnancy are more likely to have children who are overweight at the age of three, according to two studies 

Similarly, the odds that a child would become obese are significantly higher if both sets of grandparents are overweight or obese

Additionally, your genetic make-up may be influenced by your family history when it comes to obesity.

2. Birth, infancy, and childhood habits

It's worth noting that most of these contributors to a child's obesity risk are not the result of conscious decisions made by the mother or the youngster.

Moreover, the best defence against obesity and other lifestyle-related disorders may be the development of positive dietary and physical activity patterns in early life.

Growing up with a preference for nutritious fare rather than processed junk can aid in the prevention of obesity.

3. Medications or medical conditions

Pharmaceutical medications are often the only option for treating serious medical disorders.

Many of these drugs, such as those used to treat diabetes, depression, and schizophrenia, can cause you to gain weight .

These medications may cause an increase in fat accumulation by stimulating the appetite, slowing the metabolism, or otherwise affecting the body's natural fat-burning processes.

Many common medical disorders can put you at risk for gaining weight. Hypothyroidism is a prominent case in point.

4. Powerful hunger hormones

Involved in the regulation of hunger are the brain regions involved for cravings and reward 

Many people who are overweight have hormones that don't work as they should, leading to changes in their eating habits and a powerful physiological desire for more food.

When you eat, your brain's reward centre releases dopamine and other feel-good chemicals.

This is why the vast majority of individuals take pleasure in food. This method also makes sure you're eating enough to meet your dietary requirements.

When compared to consuming unprocessed food, junk food is a significantly greater source of the compounds that make us happy. In the brain, this results in a far greater reward.

5. Leptin resistance

This means that your brain is blind to the plenty of leptin your body produces. Lack of leptin signal causes the brain to mistakenly believe that it is famished despite the presence of adequate reserves of fat (29Reliable Source, 30Reliable Source).

Because of this, your brain alters your body's physiology and behaviour in an attempt to restore the fat it believes you've lost 

You expend fewer calories trying to stave off hunger. Many people find it extremely difficult to overcome the leptin-driven famine signal through the use of willpower alone.

6. Poor nutrition education

All around you are ads, health promises, nutrition exaggerations, and harmful meals.

Despite the critical nature of healthy nutrition, few people receive instruction on how to achieve it.

Educating kids on the value of a balanced diet and regular exercise has been found to improve their food choices as adults

The eating and living habits you develop as a child will have a profound impact on your health as an adult, making nutrition education crucial.

7. Addictive junk food

In the same way that drug addicts get dependent on their substance of choice, those with a food addiction become dependent on junk food

This occurs more frequently than you might imagine.

Twenty percent or more of the population may struggle with food addiction, and that proportion rises to around twenty-five percent in those who are overweight or obese

Addiction is a disease that robs you of your agency. The chemicals in your brain start acting autonomously.