10 Less Explored Potential Causes of Obesity
An interesting study published in a recent issue of the Intl Journal of Obesity discussed several of the less covered potential contributing factors to obesity, including:
- Sleep debt - deprivation increases hunger
- Environmental toxins - hormone disrupters may affect signals to the brain that help to control appetite
- Temperature regulation - when hot, people eat less; greater use of air conditioning offsets this effect
- Decreased smoking - smokers tend to weigh less
- Prescription drugs - some may promote weight gain
- Societal changes in age and ethnicity - more people between ages 35-54 and also of Hispanic and black ethnicity have greater rates of obesity
- Women having children later - children born to older mothers more likely to be overweight
- Genetics - e.g., children of diabetics more likely to be diabetic
- Natural selection - body fat may be related to reproductive ability
- Partner choice - people tend to mate with people of similar body type
Poor food selection, oversized portions, and inactivity are still the primary causes of obesity, but it’s also worth looking at the factors above to see what role they may be playing.
March 20th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
[…] There may be several different underlying causes for being overweight. Maintaining a healthy weight is best achieved through a combination of diet, supplementation, exercise, detoxification, and hormone restoration. Comprehensive programs for heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, etc. that address underlying factors and instill a set of lifelong healthy practices are much more likely to be successful than trendy diets or “magic pills.” […]
June 20th, 2007 at 2:25 am
[…] As discussed in this earlier post, there are also many other important factors that can influence the risk for obesity, including: […]