Primary Causes Of Obesity And How To Prevent Obesity With Simple Steps

Obesity has various causes, ranging from genetics, environmental impact, lifestyle habits, and diet. As the world becomes more sedentary and people start staying glued to their digital devices and screens, obesity has become a growing health risk that has plagued humanity for generations. However, the first thing you need to do before going on a weight loss diet is to understand the underlying causes of weight gain; only then will you be able to take the appropriate corrective action. In this blog, we will discuss the various causes of obesity in children, men, and women, and see how you can prevent obesity by making some changes in your lifestyle. 

Weight Gain Causes That People Often Overlook

Most people view obesity as a simple ‘calories in and calories out’ game. However, the reasons behind weight gain are more than just a calorie imbalance. Here are some of the most unnoticed causes of weight gain that people often overlook. 

• Chronic Sleep Deprivation:-

Sleep is more than just a rest mechanism; it is also necessary for metabolism. Sleep deprivation causes a hormonal imbalance that leads to an increase in the level of ghrelin (the hormone that tells you that you’re hungry) and a decrease in the level of leptin (the hormone that tells you you’re full). This leads to overeating, which causes one to gain weight. 

• The Connection Between Cortisol and Stress:- 

In today’s fast-paced world, most people live in a state of constant, low-level stress. Stress triggers the constant release of cortisol, which can not only increase your appetite but also cause the body to store fat in the abdominal area. This is one of the biggest causes of obesity in females, right after giving birth. 

• Prescription Medications:- 

Certain antidepressants, corticosteroids, anti-seizure medications, and even some diabetes treatments can alter your metabolism and increase the body’s water retention. If you notice any change after you start taking certain medications, it’s best to consult your doctor regarding the side effects. 

• Environmental Obesogens:-

 The modern urban environment is full of obesogens, chemical compounds found in plastics, food packaging, and even some household items that can interfere with the endocrine system. This is one of the biggest causes of obesity in children as they’re growing up in an environment that is constantly polluted with obesogens. 

• Liquid Calories and Hidden Sugars:- 

Many people avoid sugary foods and pay no heed to sugary drinks. Specialised coffee, healthy smoothies, and tonic waters contain an ungodly amount of sugar that settles very quickly in the body’s abdominal region. What’s worse is that liquid sugars do not trigger the same ‘fullness’ response to the nervous system that solid sugars do, leading people to consume them without breaks. 

Weight Gain Diet: What Foods Lead To Excessive Weight Gain

There are certain food items that you should avoid if you want to know how to prevent obesity. The problem with avoiding certain foods is that it is incredibly hard to get rid of dietary bad habits, but with enough effort, you will be able to get rid of foods that exacerbate weight gain causes. Here are some common foods that are components of a typical weight gain diet.

• Ultra-Processed Foods:-

 Ultra-processed foods are a nightmare for any fitness enthusiast. They contain a specific ratio of fat, sugar, and salt that tastes too good for most people to resist. This makes them addictive and gets you hooked, which is the main reason why many of our parents discouraged us from eating processed snacks in our childhood. 

• Refined Carbohydrates:-

 Foods made with white flour, including bread, pasta, pastries, and crackers, have been stripped of their fibres and nutrients. Since the body is able to digest them quickly, it leads to a spike in blood sugar, which triggers a massive insulin release. Foods like this are one of the main weight gain causes among young people. 

• Added Sugars and High-Fructose Corn Syrup:- 

Sometimes sugar is hidden in places you won’t expect. Foods like salad dressings, pasta sauces, and ‘low-fat’ yogurts. Diets high in added sugar are linked to the accumulation of dangerous fat. Specifically, fructose is processed almost entirely in the liver, and the liver converts it to fat if consumed in excess. This is one of the most niche and unknown causes of obesity.

• Sugary Beverages and Fruit Juices:-

 Liquid calories are highly deceptive, as they don’t trigger the same fullness response that solid calories do. Even fruit juices lack the 100% fiber found in whole fruits. This is why one of the best weight loss tips is to stay away from liquid sugars entirely, as they will leave you wanting more. 

• Alcohol:-

 Lastly, excessive alcohol consumption has been linked with directly proportional weight gain. Alcohol is a source of empty calories, and the body prioritises burning alcohol over burning sugar and fat. This leads to fat and sugar being accumulated over time in the body of a person who consumes excessive amounts of alcohol. 

How To Prevent Obesity: Simple Exercises To Burn Fat

If you are looking for weight loss tips, then today is your lucky day. Here are some simple exercises that you can do if you want to lose weight. Keep in mind that going on a weight loss diet is equally important, because a combination of a good diet and exercise is what you need to actually lose weight. 

• Brisk Walking:- 

Walking at a pace where you can still talk while feeling only slightly breathless is one of the best ways to burn fat without doing anything too difficult. Try to take a brisk walk for 30 minutes daily and make it a part of your regular schedule.

• High-Intensity Interval Training:- 

Short bursts of intense activity, like 30 seconds of sprinting or jumping jacks, followed by a brief rest period creates an afterburn effect where your body continues to burn calories at a high rate after the workout. 

• Bodyweight Strength Training:- 

One of the best weight loss tips is to perform simple movements like squats, lunges, and push-ups. These build lean muscle mass, which increases your basal metabolic rate. 

• Swimming:-

 Swimming is considered to be one of the best exercises for losing weight. It is a full-body workout that is easy on the joints, and the resistance of the water forces your body to use more energy, thus helping you burn fat at a faster rate than most land-based exercises. 

• Stair Climbing:-

 Climbing stairs instead of using elevators or escalators helps you target the largest muscle groups in the body (glutes and quads). This high energy demand leads to rapid fat oxidation and thus, weight loss.

Weight Loss Dietary Tips: What To Avoid To Prevent Weight Gain

It is common knowledge at this point that one needs to have a balanced diet before beginning their weight loss journey. Here are some weight loss dietary tips that you need to follow, especially foods that you need to avoid if you want to prevent the causes of weight gain from approaching you. 

• Avoid Liquid Calories:-

Everybody loves a good smoothie, but you have to stay away from liquid sugars as they will leave you wanting more. This will lead to overconsumption, which is one of the biggest causes of obesity in children and young adults. 

• Avoid Ultra-Processed Snacks:- 

Chips, crackers, and packaged cookies seem palatable, but they are designed to hook you so that you keep consuming them. Avoid them at all costs if losing weight is your objective. 

• Avoid Refined Carbohydrates:-

 Limit, if not eliminate, white bread, white pasta, and sugary cereals. These are known to cause rapid spikes in blood glucose and insulin, which leads to increased hunger shortly after eating. 

• Avoid ‘Healthy Foods’ With Hidden Sugars:-

 Stay away from so-called healthy foods like low-fat yogurts, granola bars, and bottled salad dressings. While the manufacturers remove fat from them, they often add significant amounts of sugar to maintain flavor. Consuming them is one of the major causes of obesity in females.

• Avoid Trans Fat And Seed Oils:-

 Foods containing ‘partially hydrogenated oils’ are to be strictly avoided because these synthetic fats contribute to systemic inflammation and insulin resistance, both of which are linked with belly fat gain. 

Debunked Weight Loss Tips You Shouldn’t Follow

It’s great that you want to go on a weight loss journey, but there is still a lot of misinformation regarding what actually contributes to weight loss. Here are some debunked tips on how to prevent obesity that you shouldn’t follow. 

• Losing Fat In One Area:- 

You cannot choose where your body burns fat, which means that you can’t only burn belly fat just by doing hundreds of crunches. Fat loss occurs throughout the entire body due to a conjunction of exercise and consistent calorie deficit.

• Starvation And Extreme Caloric Restriction:-

 You need a calorie deficit to lose weight, but starvation isn’t a good way to achieve the said deficit. Eating less than 1200 calories a day will cause your metabolism to decline, which forces your body to break down muscles for energy, which, as you can tell, is very harmful for your body. 

• Detox Teas And Juices:- 

Your liver and kidneys already handle detoxification. Most ‘weight loss’ teas are nothing more than diuretics or laxatives that lead to temporary water weight loss or dehydration. They can also be dangerous for your digestive system.

• Avoiding Carbohydrates:- 

Carbs are the body’s main source of energy, so avoiding them entirely won’t help you overcome weight gain causes. However, you have to stay away from refined carbohydrates and stick to fibrous carbs like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains if you want to gain the maximum amount of nutrients without gaining weight. 

• Doing Hours Of Cardio Exercises:- 

Lastly, damaging your body by doing cardio for hours is not worth it. A healthy dosage of cardio exercises is at most one hour, but overdoing them can lead to an excess release of cortisol, which results in fat storage. 

Conclusion

Losing weight is only possible if you know what the causes of obesity are. When you target the underlying causes, it becomes much easier for you to take corrective action (such as exercise) that will gradually help you lose weight and improve your quality of life. Just make sure that you consult with your doctor before starting a weight loss diet, as making an uninformed decision can be just as disastrous as doing nothing to stop your weight gain.