WHY AM I FAT?

An Overview of Obesity

Obesity is an American disease of excesses—too many calories in relation to the calories burned and an excess of misunderstanding and even prejudice for the overweight person. Obesity most commonly strikes people who have close relatives who are overweight. It may include people who try diet after diet and others who make poor choices about what to eat. But there is more to understanding obesity than assuming these individuals have no will power and are gluttonous eaters. There are a variety of physiological and psychological causes.

Obesity Prevalence

Obesity is an excess proportion of total body fat. As many as 20-25% of all Americans are obese by this definition. Americans see themselves as fatter than that. As much as 46% of the women and 32% of the men in one research study stated that they were overweight in spite of the fact that many were within their ideal weight range. Our society has an obsession with weight.

Physical Factors

Physical causes, like metabolism, or hormones, relate in some way to every obese person, but only 5% are actually caused by medical problems. Your metabolism burns up calories; obese individuals usually have lower metabolic needs. That can be caused by having Frustrating as it is, when the body's fat percentage increases, the calories burned decreases. Sometimes the individual reduces their activity level because of obesity Most Americans don't meet the recommended standards for even a minimum level of physical fitness: 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week. Research studies have shown that the obese tend to move their bodies less and this inactivity increases the likelihood of obesity. Heredity is also linked to obesity. If you mother and father suffer from obesity, your chances of becoming obese are as much as 80%; one parent, 40%; and with lean parents, 10%. Children will imitate their parent's eating habits and if their parents are obese, they are more likely to become obese. It is important to note that the correlation is not 100%. Even if many family members are overweight, obesity is not inevitable!

Exercises like jogging can build muscle mass and increase overall metabolism.

Psychological Factors

In some cases, psychological problems can contribute to obesity. But being obese in our weight obsessed society can cause a variety of emotional stresses which can trigger the craving to overeat. Research has found that as a group, overweight individuals may be more sensitive to sweet tastes, more responsive to eating cues in the environment, and overeating can be stimulated by the thoughts of tasty food. (When life revolves around a strict meal plan, it can easily slip from a healthy intention to an obsession.). Stresses in the environment such as work, family and relationships can increase the susceptibility towards overeating. Stress can imbalance self-control and increase making frequent poor food choices.

Hope for the Obese

Society is learning how to respect obese individuals while giving them the support they need to conquer this condition. Scientists are researching many possible solutions to help the obese. %obesityresearchideas% Obesity doesn't have to be a life sentence. Obese people should accept themselves, and make small and gradual steps towards the solution of their disease.