Weight Gain... OH! Not Again

Have you ever stood in front of a mirror and said Why ME? I don’t even eat sweets…. Well…sweets are not the only culprit that changes your hourglass shape to a spherical one. Knowing the causes of weight gain might help you in coping with it…

No one likes the needle of the weighing scale to inch up regularly. But it does for most of us. The biggest culprit is the way we live our lives – Our lifestyle. Changes in lifestyle due to rapid urbanisation have contributed to the rise in weight gain. Significant lifestyle changes, such as taking desk jobs, spending more hours watching television, including convenience foods, and frequently eating out, account for the bulging waistline.

Is urbanisation the sole offender?

Before you start blaming India Shining let’s take a look at our genes. Obesity tends to run in families, suggesting a genetic cause. It is believed that obesity is a hereditary condition.  Most researchers put forward an argument that family members tend to share similar lifestyles and diets which may contribute to obesity. However, numerous studies have refuted environment/lifestyle as the only cause. In one such study done by the Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia twins who were brought up apart were studied and it was concluded that their BMI were closer to each other. In this case, the person's genetic makeup had more influence on the development of obesity than the environment in the adoptive family home.

Weight gain can also result from energy imbalance where energy intake has been more than energy use over many years. This involves consuming more calories than required or not using the ingested calories by doing physical activity. Physical activity plays a key role in energy balance because it uses up calories consumed.

Apart from these, psychological factors may also influence eating habits. Some people tend to overindulge in food, as a response to negative emotions such as boredom, sadness or anger. They may also overeat as a way of dealing with stress or depression.

Some rare illnesses can cause a gain in weight. These include hypothyroidism (diminished activity of the thyroid gland), Cushing's syndrome and certain neurological problems that can lead to overeating. Certain drugs such as steroids and antidepressants may also lead to weight gain.

Though comparatively lesser in proportion Eating Disorders like binge eating, and night eating syndrome have also been mentioned as a cause of weight gain. It takes a combination of things to develop an eating disorder — including a person's genes, emotions and experience. Biological abnormalities can contribute to binge eating. For example, the hypothalamus (the hunger centre of the brain) may not be sending correct messages about hunger and fullness. A strong link exists between depression and eating disorders. Low self-esteem, loneliness, and body dissatisfaction may also contribute to eating disorders.

Binge eating is characterised by compulsive overeating in which people consume huge amounts of food while feeling out of control to stop. Binge eaters often eat even when they are not hungry.  Those suffering from night eating syndrome consume more than half of their daily calories in the latter half of the day and even arise from sleep to eat.  These disorders are completely treatable with psychological help and motivation.

Now, maybe, you would have found out why that devilish needle is going up all the time. No… Not a problem. Those who have still not been able to decipher the reason for weight gain can blame it on their slow BMR. (Read more on BMR in subsequent write-ups)

Image Courtesy: luxstorm by pixabay