5 Causes of Obesity in America
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Definition
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Obesity is being at least 30 percent over the ideal body weight for your height. This condition is defined as excessive amount of body fat, in relation to the lean muscle in your body. While consuming more calories then the body needs causes obesity, there are also internal mechanisms that can have an effect, including your appetite, metabolism and satiety from food. While many believe obesity stems from behavioral issues, hormonal and genetic problems can create deficiencies in internal body functions, causing obesity as well.
Main Causes
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The two main causes of obesity in America are fast food and lack of exercise. Fast food contains extremely high levels of fat, calories and carbohydrates that your body doesn't need. As portion sizes at these establishments have risen, so has the caloric intake for those who eat there regularly.
Another major cause for obesity in America is lack of exercise. As work, school, television and video games have started taking up more time in the day, exercise and spending time outdoors as been squeezed out. Schools have taken physical education courses out of the required curriculum. Exercise is not a priority for many American adults.
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Other Reasons
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Getting too little sleep can increase your body weight. As Americans are sleeping less, obesity is rising. Hormonal changes are caused by lack of sleep, which can increase your appetite causing you to eat more than your body needs.
Doctors continue prescribing more prescription drugs to Americans, including steroid hormones, diabetes drugs, contraceptives and antidepressants. Many of these drugs cause changes in the body, which can lead to overeating and weight gain.
For many Americans, obesity tends to run in families. While family members share genetic links, other reasons include similar dietary, attitude, lifestyle, and physical exercise habits, which are all causes of obesity.
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