Obesity is generally caused by eating too much and moving too little. If you consume high amounts of energy, particularly fat and sugars, but do not
burn off the energy through exercise and physical activity, much of the surplus energy will be stored by the body as fat. Obesity does not happen
overnight. It develops gradually over time, as a result of poor diet and lifestyle choices, such as:
✓ Eating large amounts of processed or fast food – which are high in fat and sugar
✓ Drinking too much alcohol which contains a lot of calories, and people who drink heavily are often overweight.
✓ Eating out a lot – One may be tempted to also have a starter or dessert in a restaurant, and the foods are usually higher in fat and sugar
✓ Eating larger portions than one requires– One may be encouraged to eat too much due to friends or relatives who are also eating large portions
and to finish food ordered.
✓ Drinking too many sugary drinks such as carbonated soft drinks and packaged fruit juices
✓ Comfort Foods & eating – when one has low self-esteem or feel depressed, one may eat to feel better
✓ Unhealthy eating habits tend to run in families. Children tend to learn bad eating habits from their parents and continue them into adulthood.
✓ Lack of physical activity is another important factor related to obesity. Many people have jobs that involve sitting at a desk for most of the day.
They also rely on their cars, rather than walking. One watches TV, browse the internet or play computer games, and rarely take regular exercises.
✓ Genetics: It may be true that certain genetic traits inherited from your parents – such as having a large appetite which makes losing weight more
difficult, but it certainly does not make it impossible.
✓ In many cases, obesity is more to do with external environmental factors, such as poor eating habits learned during childhood.
✓ Weight gain can sometimes be a side effect of quitting smoking after many years of heavy Smoking.