Why We Become Obese?

1. Gene: Our gene plays the most important part. Our gene can be strongly linked to obesity. Heredity can also play a good role. But, this is not hard and fast rule. Presence of Obese genetic component can make the individual susceptible to obesity.
2. Lifestyle: One thing you can easily notice, obesity increased and increasing with the lifestyle enhancement. Lifestyle does not mean only foods but also our activities has decreased due to our job type (sitting in chair for long) and sedentation.
3. Foods: Oily and spicy foods specially deep fried foods and junk processed foods has acquired our menu mostly. Many of them contain trans fatty acid and cholesterol at high level.
4. Insulin Resistance: Intake of simple sugars like fructose may promote insulin resistance. Insulin make the food ready to be used by the cells for energy derivation. But if insulin resistance occur, these foods get stored and can’t be used by the cells. These stored foods become stored fat and we become fatty
5. Leptin Resistance: Leptin is a hormone that is released by fat cells. If fat cells are high in our body, the amount of leptin produced will be high. This high leptin should tell the brain not to eat more. But in obese people, although leptin is high, it is not communicating with the brain due to the fact that leptin may not cross Blood-Brain-Barrier. So, it can convey the brain the present situation. The brain do not direct to stop eating leading to obesity. This condition is known as leptin resistance.
6. Economy: This may sounds awkward to you, but it is true. With the growing economy, technology and food availability, we have enough money to buy foods, in fact, more than required. We have foods available in market which on consuming can give you high calorie. These kinds of foods mostly contribute to obesity. Just compare the kids of 1960s and now. You can understand that the economy was one of the important factor from the level of a society to the level of individual family.

We have nothing to do with gene and resistances. What we can do is the lifestyle part and eating. We can modify this part to prevent or decrease obesity.

Author: Dr. Dipan Samanta

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