According to the World Health Organization, there has been a significant increase in diseases caused by and associated with overweight and obesity in the 21st century. In particular, obesity has ceased to be a disease seen only in adults and has become a threat to the health of children under 5 years old. As in previous years, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is no longer divided into developed or underdeveloped countries.

Addressing a few common causes and factors that pose a risk for overweight and obesity can help us on the road to recovery. The problem needs to be approached from multiple angles. because being overweight or obese is not just a matter of personal preference. Many people may ignore these aspects of the illness and become psychologically exhausted. Let’s start learning the causes of these diseases in order to start a holistic treatment process.

• Genetics and Prenatal Causes of Overweight and Obesity

How our health will be shaped in general and which diseases we will suffer from are closely tied to our genes, genetic history of our family. Being overweight and the risk of obesity can also enter our genetic codes from the mother’s womb. Factors such as the health status of the parents and the mother’s eating habits during pregnancy are among the common causes that can determine whether the baby will be overweight or obese in the future.

• Nutrition and Living Habits in Infancy and Early Childhood

Research shows that breastfeeding as much as possible not only has a positive effect on the baby’s overall health, but may also be a reason for future risk of overweight and obesity. Reaching and directing healthy food from childhood and acquiring exercise and sports habits are among the factors affecting the risk of obesity.

• Metabolic, Hormonal Factors of Overweight and Obesity

Our metabolism and hormonal balance are among the most important factors affecting our weight gain. These vary from person to person. Ghrelin, the hunger hormone, balances our appetite. The leptin hormone suppresses our appetite and supports fat burning. For example, eating constantly and excessively causes an increase in the hormone leptin in the blood. After a while, the brain perceives this increase as normal and the person develops leptin resistance. One of the most important causes of overweight and obesity is insulin resistance. It allows the sugar in the blood to leave the blood and enter the cell. Thus, the level of sugar in the blood is also reduced. If insulin resistance develops in the body, glucose cannot enter the cells. Glucose produced but not used causes diabetes insipidus and then type 2 diabetes over time. Other leading players in hormonal factors that cause overweight and obesity are thyroid diseases.

Hormones work together and are interdependent. Excessive or under-secretion of hormones and their deterioration at a level that does not support each other invites excessive weight gain and weight-related diseases. Obesity can be both a cause and a consequence of these diseases.

• Processed-Packaged Foods

It is a fact that processed and packaged foods are cheaper and easily accessible than healthy and natural foods. These foods, which contain many preservatives, flavor-enhancing synthetic substances, high sugar and oil, are becoming more common day by day and negatively affect our taste. The reward center of the brain is overstimulated in people who consume too much junk and processed foods. After a while, an addiction such as nicotine, alcohol or drug addiction occurs. As with any addiction, it is very difficult to get rid of unhealthy diet addiction. (especially when there is so much exposure to them today through design and advertising..)

Foods and beverages that can be consumed quickly and that do not take time to prepare are among the most important causes of overweight and obesity.

• Medical Conditions – Weight Gain as a Side Effect of Regular Use of Certain Drugs

Frequent or regular use of certain medications can cause excessive weight gain. For example, antidepressants, antipsychotics, some diabetes and antiseizure medications can increase appetite as a side effect. There is no loss of will here. However, such drugs lower the metabolic rate and/or increase appetite. For these reasons, they change the function of your body and brain.

• Emotional and Psychological Factors in Overweight and Obesity

Some people eat as a way of coping with their emotions. When they are sad or, on the contrary, they are very happy, they feel the need to eat when they are bored. It has nothing to do with being hungry or quenching hunger. They often try to satisfy their emotions by eating large amounts of junk food. This is called emotional, psychological eating. Emotional balance cannot be controlled and if high-calorie foods are consumed each time, it can cause excessive weight gain and obesity.

• Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices and Diets

Eating excessive and unhealthy foods and not exercising enough means that you will lose your health in a short time. If you have such a lifestyle, besides gaining weight and obesity, many additional diseases will knock on your door. you should take a step towards a healthy life routine and diet as soon as possible. If you are having trouble coping with it yourself, you can get help from dietitians, sports professionals and of course doctors who are experts in the field of bariatrics like us.

• Socioeconomic Factors of Overweight and Obesity

Today, obesity is still seen as a disease of the poor. Access to healthy, clean, qualified and adequate food is still one of the biggest problems of humanity in economically underdeveloped countries. The insufficient health and education services cause these countries to face two extreme problems, hunger and obesity.

However, in today’s world, obesity has ceased to be a scourge only to underdeveloped countries. According to the latest WHO data, 59% of adults (63% of men, 54% of women) in Europe were defined as overweight or obese. Almost one in three children is reported to be overweight or obese. The leading causes of death in Europe are overweight, obesity and related diseases. It has been recorded that approximately 1 million 300 thousand people die each year due to these reasons. Overweight and obesity are now considered a global health problem and even a pandemic.