Obesity is a chronic disease, affecting about 36.5 percent of adults in the United States. It’s often linked to a myriad of conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, some types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, joint disease, and many more.
While many people blame obesity on one’s poor dietary choices and inactivity, it’s not always the case for people suffering from it.
It’s not a choice
There are several factors that can have an effect on one’s body weight. Many of which are beyond one’s control. These factors include genetics, hormones, certain medical conditions, and environmental factors.
Genetics and prenatal factors
Several studies have shown that women who have gained excessive weight during pregnancy are more likely to have heavier kids. Research also shows that kids who have obese parents and grandparents are more likely to become obese than kids who have parents and grandparents with a normal healthy weight.
Hormones
Hunger is driven by powerful hormones. If one has problems with these hormones, he/she is more likely to have more physiological drive to eat more, which could result in excessive weight gain.
Medical conditions
There are certain diseases that can contribute to obesity. This includes thyroid issues, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and Cushing’s syndrome.
Environmental factors
When you grow up in an environment where proper nutrition is not taught, you will be more likely to eat unhealthily. As a child, you don’t really have control over this.
More intensive intervention
Although healthy eating and physical activity are beneficial to one’s physical health and can help some people lose weight, these two things don’t always solve obesity. In some people, these are not enough to lose weight.
In these cases, more intensive intervention is needed. This is where bariatric surgery becomes helpful.
It is considered to be the most effective way of treating obesity and mitigating obesity-related conditions.
Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons in Knoxville has a bariatric team who can help you. Your very first step is viewing our FREE info series to help you be more informed about what bariatric surgery is all about. You can easily watch the seminar online from anywhere. Just visit https://seminar.foothillsweightloss.com/
For questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at (865) 984-3413.
Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons is part of Premier Surgical Bariatrics in Knoxville, Tennessee. Foothills is affiliated with the Fort Sanders Regional Center for Bariatric Surgery, part of Covenant Health Bariatric Services.