What causes overweight and obesity? There are a variety of factors that play a role in obesity.

This makes it a complex health issue to address. Behavior, environment, and genetic factors may have an effect in causing people to be overweight and obese. The Caloric Balance Equation Overweight and obesity result from an energy imbalance. This involves eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activity. Body weight is the result of genes, metabolism, behavior, environment, culture, and socioeconomic status. Behavior and environment play a large role causing people to be overweight and obese. These are the greatest areas for prevention and treatment actions. Adapted from U.S. Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity, 2001 For more, see Healthy Weight Balancing Calories. Environment People may make decisions based on their environment or community. For example, a person may choose not to walk to the store or to work because of a lack of sidewalks. Community, home, child care, school, health care, and workplace settings can all influence people's health decisions. Therefore, it is important to create environments in these locations that make it easier to engage in physical activity and eat a healthy diet. Watch The Obesity Epidemic to learn about the many environmental factors that have contributed to the obesity epidemic, as well as several community initiatives taking place to prevent and reduce obesity. Genetics How do genes affect obesity? Science shows that genetics plays a role in obesity. Genes can directly cause obesity in disorders such as Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome. However genes do not always predict future health. Genes and behavior may both be needed for a person to be overweight. In some cases multiple genes may increase one's susceptibility for obesity and require outside factors; such as abundant food supply or little physical activity. For more information on the genetics and obesity visit Obesity and Genomics. Other Factors Diseases and Drugs Some illnesses may lead to obesity or weight gain. These may include Cushing's disease, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Drugs such as steroids and some antidepressants may also cause weight gain. A doctor is the best source to tell you whether illnesses, medications, or psychological factors are contributing to weight gain or making weight loss hard. What are the consequences of overweight and obesity? Health Consequences

Research has shown that as weight increases to reach the levels referred to as "overweight" and "obesity,"* the risks for the following conditions also increases: Coronary heart disease Type 2 diabetes Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon) Hypertension (high blood pressure) Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides) Stroke Liver and Gallbladder disease Sleep apnea and respiratory problems Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint) Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)
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*Overweight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher; obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or higher. For more, see Defining Obesity. Economic Consequences Overweight and obesity and their associated health problems have a significant economic impact on the U.S. health care system. Medical costs associated with overweight and obesity may involve direct and indirect costs.
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Direct medical costs may include preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services

related to obesity. Indirect costs relate to morbidity and mortality costs. Morbidity costs are defined as the value of income lost from decreased productivity, restricted activity, absenteeism, and bed days. Mortality costs are the value of future income lost by premature death. National Estimated Cost of Obesity The medical care costs of obesity in the United States are staggering. In 2008 dollars, these costs totaled about $147 billion. Obesity refers to the condition of having an excessive amount of body fat. The worst enemy of health today is surplus fat. Obesity aggravates cardiovascular degeneration, diabetes, biliary and renal ailments, arthritis and many other disorders, and increases surgical risks and accident proneness. Causes of Obesity : There are numerous causes that are related to the onset of obesity like: 1. Heredity or genetics 2. Hormonal imbalances 3. Environmental factors such as cultural habits, etc. 4. Inadequate physical activity. 5. Eating habits such as overeating or improper diet. Among the above, the major cause of obesity is improper eating habits. Eating habits: The once great cause of overweight is overeating taking in more than your energy output demands. Our appetite is no longer a reliable guide for eating the right amount of food. Mostly now-a-days people are exposed to large amount of rich goods, Under such conditions, it is easy to form incorrect habit of eating. Most of us have our habits fairly stabilized by the time we are twenty-five years old. This includes habits of eating as well. But as we grow older our energy expenditures are
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lessened, we cannot burn up all the energy value of the food we eat, and excess energy is stored in our bodies. Obesity creeps up when our activity slows down but the appetite of our vigorous year still continues. Thus, improper eating habits are responsible for causing obesity. A person should learn to make permanent changes in dietary habits in order to remain away from weight problems, like: 1. Go easy on fats and fatty foods, particularly those high in saturates, such as butter, hard margarine, fatty meal and meat products, crisps and fried food. Choose instead lean meat, fish and dairy products with a lower fat contents such as cottage and skimmed or semi skimmed milk. 2. Be sparing with salt and sugar, and with food that contains large quantities of added salt and sugar, Highly salty food includes smoked products, savoury shocks such as peanuts and crisps, processed meat products and some breakfast cereals. Watch out for sugar in drink, breakfast cereals, yoghurt and processed foods, as well as sweets, cakes and biscuits. 3. Reduce total caloric intake by 250 to 500 Kcal per day to accomplish the desired weight-loss goals. 4. Go easy on alcohol. 5. Go out for regular work out to burn extra fat from the body. Effect of Obesity : Obesity can be directly related to 1. Changes in normal body function: Changes in body vary from individual and with degree of obesity. a) Respiratory problem are quite common among people with obesity. b) A person become lethargic. c) Abnormal blood clotting. d) Enlargement of heart. e) Congestive heart failure. f) Lower exercise tolerance. 2. Increased risk for certain diseases: Obesity is also associated with certain chronic degenerative diseases such as a) Coronary Disease b) Hypertension c) Diabetes d) Arthritis due to extra load on joints because of overweight. 3. Detrimental effects on established disease: Obesity can contribute to further development of certain diseases and medical conditions, and weight reduction is usually prescribed as an integral part of treatment, Conditions that are generally benefit from weight reduction includes a) Heart attack. b) Hypertension. c) Congestive heart disease d) Diabetes. e) Orthopedic Problems. 4. Emotional Effect : Emotional or psychological problems might be caused by obesity. In our society, obesity carries a social stigma that contributes to psychological reactions for the obese people.Our media typically glamorize only people with extremely slim and lean bodies.