Weight gain or obesity can give rise to many risks and complications and some of them can be even life threatening but even some amount of weight loss can reduce the danger to a large extent. Obesity is generally associated with eating more than the need but it is not the only reason causing or promoting it, there are many other factors that play a significant role in causing obesity.
Poor diet is the most common reason for causing weight gain, higher calorie intake and lesser calorie burn during the day slowly but surely promotes accumulation of fat in the body which increases weight. Increased intake of processed and fast food and absence of healthy diet is the major reason. High fiber diet, fruits and juices promote healthy weight loss. Lack of exercise and physical activity also promote weight gain by reducing metabolism rate and decreasing tissue growth and increasing fat accumulation. Proper and sufficient physical activity promotes weight loss and improves health.
Genetics and age are natural reasons for promoting obesity due to growing age physical activity is reduced, slow metabolism and lesser calorie burn promotes weight gain. Diseases like hyperthyroidism, diseases related to heart, kidney and liver and cushing's syndrome are also responsible for weight gain, cushing's syndrome cause hormonal imbalance which promotes production of cortisol hormone which accumulates fat in the face, abdomen and back, diseases related to kidney, liver and heart can cause fluid retention.
Over eating due stress and depression is also a cause for weight gain, blood sugar imbalance improves carvings for eating more sweets to promote obesity. Tobacco or alcohol withdrawal increases craving to eat more and at short intervals which increases calorie intake and absence of exercises promote obesity. Weight gain can also be due to side effects of hormonal therapy, birth control pills, various NSAID's, anti-depressant, diabetes medicines and steroids. Cardio-vascular exercises like cycling, jogging, walking swimming and aerobics are the best ways to promote weight loss.
Obesity is the biggest cause for heart diseases, extra fat in the blood blocks arteries causing weakening of heart walls and muscles and increasing the chances of a stroke or heart failure. Some weight loss by controlling diet and exercises can reduce the risk greatly. Obesity also promotes high blood pressure which increases the chances of diabetes. Evidences show that diabetes is more common in overweight people and doctors advice to loose weight to control it. Sleep apnea is another problem associated with obesity which can cause stress, depression and also heart failure.
Overweight people tend to develop osteoarthritis at an early stage, overweight people put extra pressure on the joints promoting wear and tear of cartilages. Cancer is another life threatening complication, cancer of gallbladder, ovary, cervix, breast and colon are more common in overweight people. Gout is another form of arthritis more common in overweight people as obesity promotes deposition of uric acid in the joints. With growing weight chances of developing a gallbladder stone or infection also increases. Overweight people may suffer from fatty liver disease in which fat gets accumulated in the liver causing scars on the walls and inflammation of the liver which may even lead to cirrhosis of liver.
