Obesity: Common Causes and Medical Interventions

The leading cause of obesity is bad dietary habits. Taking foods containing excess fats, starches, and sugars can lead to weight gain. Junk foods often contain large amounts of these ingredients, which the body cannot process in time, causing them to accumulate in the body and lead to weight gain. Obesity is also caused by a lack of regular physical exercise. Physical exercises burn off excess calories and thus, reduce the risk of obesity. Therefore, physical inactivity increases the risk of gaining weight. Conditions such as hypothyroidism can also cause obesity. Hypothyroidism is a condition caused by a defective thyroid gland, which results in insufficient secretion of the thyroid hormones. Inadequate amounts of thyroid hormones affect food metabolism, which increases the risk of obesity.

The recommended treatments for obesity focus on physical activity and healthy eating habits. The writer recommends a dietary treatment for this condition. An ideal diet should be low in fats and carbohydrates, contain natural foods (whole grains), and have the other nutrients (proteins, minerals, and vitamins) in the right proportions. An obese person should also increase his or her daily water intake. Daily exercises can help remove the excess fats and, thus, drastically reduce one’s chances of developing obesity. A well-designed workout program can help an overweight person to lose weight within a specified period. For those who suffer from hypothyroidism, doctors can prescribe levothyroxine medicine, which enhances food metabolism. This drug increases the body’s metabolic rate, hence, reducing the risk of developing obesity.