Top Reasons Why People Are Fat & Getting Fatter
- Inactive Lifestyle – One reason for this is that many people spend hours in front of TVs and computers doing work. In fact, more than 2 hours a day of regular TV viewing time has been linked to overweight and obesity.
Other reasons for not being active include: relying on cars instead of walking or cycling. People who are inactive are more likely to gain weight because they don’t burn the calories that they take in from food and drinks.
- Lack of Balance between “Energy IN” and “Energy Out” – A lack of energy balance most often causes overweight and obesity. Energy balance means that your energy IN equals your energy OUT. Energy IN is the amount of energy or calories you get from food and drinks. Energy OUT is the amount of energy your body uses for things like breathing, digesting, and all other physical activities.
- Engineered “Hyperpalatable” Junk Foods
Today, foods are often little more than refined ingredients mixed in with a bunch of chemicals. These products are engineered to be cheap, last long on the shelf and taste so incredibly good that we just can’t get enough. By making foods “hyperpalatable,” the food manufacturers ensure that we eat a lot and decide to buy and eat them again and again.
- Genes and Family History – Overweight and obesity tend to run in families. Your chances of being overweight are greater if one or both of your parents are overweight or obese. Your genes also may affect the amount of fat you store in your body and where on your body you carry the extra fat. Because families also share food and physical activity habits, a link exists between genes and the environment.
- Health Conditions – Some hormone problems may cause overweight and obesity, such as underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), Cushing’s syndrome, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
- Pregnancy – During pregnancy, women gain weight to support their babies’ growth and development. After giving birth, some women find it hard to lose the weight. This may lead to overweight or obesity, especially after a few pregnancies.
