What causes obesity?

I can't speak for anybody but myself, but I would say the following are some of the causes behind my struggle with my weight:

1. Growing up in an environment where I was led to believe that some people are "meant" to be athletic and others just aren't. I was basically fed a line that people in my family just aren't sports people, and that therefore I "can't" be athletic. Turns out anybody can be athletic, it's just a matter of finding the right athletic endeavor for you. I kind of wish my dad hadn't spent so much time telling me about how it's just the way things are for my family.

2. Fast food, take-out, and other junk food. Particularly the ease of online ordering these days. Makes my life easier in some ways and much, much less healthy in other ways.

3. Stress. I used food as a way to cope with stress and emotional upset. When I got my first full-time job, I was so exhausted and stressed out that I would stop off at fast food drive thrus on the way home just to keep myself awake for the drive home. I gained 20 lbs in just a few months.

4. Laziness, and a difficulty pushing myself. These days, this is my biggest problem. I let myself sleep in instead of getting up to work out. I let myself sack out on the couch in front of the tv after work instead of working out. I let myself order takeout or go out to eat instead of cooking a healthy dinner because I come home from work and I can't be bothered.

Ultimately, I am responsible. I am responsible because I bought into the idea that I couldn't be athletic. I am responsible because I give in to my own fatigue and let myself indulge in takeout and junk. I'm still fighting against a lot of those influences, but I'm making progress.

Is it that we are creatures of habit and get carried along on food routine but take it a little too far?

Do you think we just feel hungry all the time and over compensate with what we eat?

Maybe, it is eating socially and we just get carried away with the food that we choose from the menu?

Is it because we think we should fill up with food because we are so busy that it could be some time before we get to eat again?

Have you just exercised and think you can now reward yourself with food?

What is the reason for obesity in your opinion?

Mine is bad habits. I have had problems with overeating, almost at the verge of obesity for over 20 years of my life. I think relationships have a lot to do with it too. The more people are around you and supporting you, just living life with people you love and doing things together, the easier it is to be healthy. I am very bad at forming relationships and I've gotten in the bad habit of not doing much for my reasons, but I could still be more active. I was a thin, healthy girl before I went to school, but after I started gaining weight. Then when my family moved far away from my grandma, grandpa, cousins, uncle, and aunt I started gaining more weight and not being as active. It's gotten worse since I got married and had my child, not sure why, just bad habits at this point I think.

Too much food, not enough movement.

And laziness. Lots of laziness.

I understand the laziness aspect, but playing devil`s advocate, a lot of people lead busy lives working or looking after the children..so how do they find the time to move?

I know lots of people with kids and they make time to move..either get up at four am in the morning and go the gym, run, etc..or have a home gym and work out from home..work out on lunch break at work ..etc etc..if you want to find an excuse to not move then you easily can ..

Working out at the gym is not the only activity you can get. I think we need to get back to more lifestyle activity and doing fun activities with people we love. I don't do that much.

Eating too many calories.

Usually in the form of eating too many high calorie, low volume food, like deep fat fried french fries. 4 large servings equals an entire day's callories for most MEN

Duh...more calories consumed than expended. Everything else is just an excuse!

Obviously carbs, specifically fructose. And evil corporations that want to get us fat and keep us sick

I thought Sucrose ( table sugar ) was the real enemy. ( that's fructose combined with glucose ).

eating too much causes obesity

.

Many reasons.
Eating too much
Genetics
Bad metabolism
Not moving enough

I mean, there are people who are not obese who are lazy, eat too much. Genetics also play a role.

Million dollar question. If anyone can effectively answer this they'll be rolling in the dough. Personally, there are many factors that cause obesity disease, environment, psychological, lack of knowledge, habits, poor community planing, stigmatization of obesity along with increasing acceptance, this "pull yourself up by the boot strap mentality" which does not serve to help an individual deep in the throws of an obesigenic lifestyle, addictive behaviors...ect ect.

That's just it, no one will be rolling in dough with the right answer because the right answer isn't sexy, it doesn't have a quick fix and people would much rather come up with a plethora of excuses.

Eat too much and don't exercise enough to offset the calories in that food is the answer. The right, simple, non sexy answer.

I still believe there are a million confounding factors that cause obesity. I guess I'm in the minority on this post because I dont think that telling someone they are obese simply due to being a lazy slob is helpful nor empathetic. But I'm weird I like to l try solve problems and help people. What caused me to be obese may be completely different from the next person, and I work every day to learn something new about myself and hopefully reverse the abysmal failure rate that every obese person faces. If it was that simple we'd all be "skinny."

I know. I used to exercise a lot and I was still on the verge of obesity as a teenager and young adult. I ate way too much though. I always thought I would have been thin if I had a very active job or was an athlete. I wish I had been better at sports and pursued them more. I think it would have helped with my weight over the years and gotten me used to lots of activity. I did some sports over the years but not enough.

I really think intimate relationships are important for weight loss as well. I know when I spend time with people and do things with them I do not want to eat as much. Ever since I was a child I would not eat hardly anything when I was really busy with extended family or a friend. Of course that is me. I know some people eat a lot around other people.

Million dollar question. If anyone can effectively answer this they'll be rolling in the dough. Personally, there are many factors that cause obesity disease, environment, psychological, lack of knowledge, habits, poor community planing, stigmatization of obesity along with increasing acceptance, this "pull yourself up by the boot strap mentality" which does not serve to help an individual deep in the throws of an obesigenic lifestyle, addictive behaviors...ect ect.

That's just it, no one will be rolling in dough with the right answer because the right answer isn't sexy, it doesn't have a quick fix and people would much rather come up with a plethora of excuses.

Eat too much and don't exercise enough to offset the calories in that food is the answer. The right, simple, non sexy answer.

I still believe there are a million confounding factors that cause obesity. I guess I'm in the minority on this post because I dont think that telling someone they are obese simply due to being a lazy slob is helpful nor empathetic. But I'm weird I like to l try solve problems and help people. What caused me to be obese may be completely different from the next person, and I work every day to learn something new about myself and hopefully reverse the abysmal failure rate that every obese person faces. If it was that simple we'd all be "skinny."

I don't think calling someone a fat lazy slob is helpful either and probably why I didn't and won't. I want to help people solve their problems too and the best way to do that is to keep it simple. Educate that they need to eat less calories, increase the nutrition in the foods they do choose and make sure they know that they need to expend more energy than they consume.

With the exception of medical problems, we all became overweight for the same reason... too many calories despite what our metal state of mind was as we gained it. The answer IS simple, the application of that answer is not always so.

I have another theory :

1.) I dont think obesity is caused by lack of exercise. Here's why.
My grandparent's generation (b. 1920's) did not exercise at all. Especially not the AVERAGE woman. They werent very active in their daily lives either. It wasnt really until the 80s', the decade of aerobics/Jane fonda/richard simmons, did exercise become a mainstream activity for all people. The baby boomers, all in their 30's at this point, probably began implementing regular workouts around this time in their lives if not later. Generations Xs&Ys are the generation that began working out in highschool, joining gyms- the 90s made gyms sexy! the 2000s gave way to yoga and pilates and crossfit and other trendy workouts for everyday people.
My point is that if anything, generations have continued to INCREASE ON AVERAGE their fitness activity levels. Every girl in highschool I knew worked out at the gym, but if I ask my grandma if she and her girlfriends worked out in any capacity she laughs. So its not a decrese in activity level that is due to our increase in fatness. deductive reasoning will tell you that.

Here's my theory:

2. Eating is now the only socially acceptable crutch that exists. In the 50s, it was not only common, but somewhat encouraged by society to DRINK alcohol and SMOKe. Everyone drank and everyone smoked. Mom had a tough day, nothing a nip and a cig couldnt help take the edge off. There was no such lable as "addict" or "alcoholic" or rehab like there is today.
Today we have shamed the smoker. Smokers are treated like trash- no more bar smoking, no more patio smoking, infact some streets dont allow it depending on what states you live in. Hotels have banned it. etc. NOw, I am not arguing for smokers, but what I am saying is smoking and drinking is shamed and regulated now more than ever before in history. If someone drinks during the workday- has a glass of wine or a cocktail- that is sooo frowned upon and can be cause for termination depending on the corporation.

However, over eating is not shamed or regulated. So CIndy the secretary can sit at her desk and inhale donuts to cope with the stress of her job, marriage, etc. But 50 years ago, she probably wouldve taken a swig of something and chain smoked. Doug the businessman can come home and inhale a large pizza to cope with his stressful day, but 50 years ago he wouldve numbed the pain with some scotch. today hed be called an alchy, but then it was so common and typical.

We as a socitety have replaced one addiction with another. and that is why people are obese