Developing Obesity

It may seem obvious how a person can become overweight and eventually obese, however, there are a few more factors than you might think can contribute to gaining weight. Therefore, getting yourself informed is a good way to either maintain or start living a more healthier life.

So, how do people become obese?

1. Consuming too many calories is the number one factor. Most people today may think they are sticking to a controlled portion, but over the years, portion size has increased. Thus, overtime the average calorie intake has increased greatly. For instance, in 1971, women were consuming 1,542 calories per day, but by 2004, that rate became 1,877 calories per day. In men, calorie consumption increased from 2,450 calories per day to 2,618 calories per day. 
2. Being a couch potato means more than just sitting in front of the television snacking. With the fast technological progression, we have become more sedentary. Instead of hand washing the dishes, we now rely on our dish washer. Instead of going out to play ball, we have resorted to turning on our televisions and watching others play ball. Instead of walking to the local grocery store, we now use our cars. We have become dependent on our cars to take us everywhere. Our lives have become more sedentary, and we are not as good about making up for the lack of motion. Only some of us manage to get a decent amount of exercise into our day. 
3. A lack of sleep is also a factor as our bodies produce less and less of the hormone Leptin, which suppresses appetite, and it allows our body to produce more of the hormone Gherlin, which stimulates appetite. 
4. Inducing artificially sweetened beverages can be a huge factor, especially in women, as those types of drinks are high in fructose sweetener. Since fructose is processed in the liver, which is also where the metabolism makes alterations based on its sugar intake level, consuming fructose-sweetened drinks causes the liver to express a pathology similar to a metabolic syndrome. Having a metabolic syndrome can cause lipid accumulation and eventually lead to hypertension, insulin-resistancy, diabetes, and obesity.
5. Certain medications can contribute to obesity. Therefore, it is crucial to check with your doctor the side effects of the medications he has prescribed you.