Factors in Weight Gain

Overall there are a variety of factors that play a role in obesity – behavior, environment, and genetics may have an effect in causing people to be overweight and obese.

Environment

People may make decisions based on their environment or community. For example, a person may choose not to walk to the store or to work because of a lack of sidewalks. Communities, homes, and workplaces can all influence people's health decisions. Because of this influence, it is important to create environments in these locations that make it easier to engage in physical activity and to eat a healthy diet.

There may be places in your area that support physical activities from parks, trails, and sidewalks to recreation and fitness centers. Even malls provide opportunities for fitness walking. Understanding environmental opportunities and barriers that we face in our pursuit for a healthy lifestyle may provide some of the knowledge necessary to promote healthy living. This information may also provide ideas for advocacy and civic participation.

For more information on how you can support a positive environment for physical activity in your community, visit ACES: Active Community Environments Initiative.

Genetics

How do genes affect obesity?

Science shows that genetics plays a role in obesity. Genes can directly cause obesity in specific disorders such as Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome.

However genes do not always predict future health. Genes and behavior may both be needed for a person to be overweight. In some cases multiple genes may increase one's susceptibility for obesity and require outside factors; such as abundant food supply or little physical activity.

For more information on the genetics and obesity visit Obesity and Genetics: A Public Health Perspective.

Diseases and Drugs

Diseases and Drugs

Some illnesses may lead to obesity or weight gain. These may include Cushing's disease, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Drugs such as steroids and some antidepressants may also cause weight gain.

A doctor is the best source to tell you whether illnesses, medications, or psychological factors are contributing to weight gain or making weight loss hard.

Related Videos

From nightly sleep to genes, Dr. Marc Bessler, an obesity expert at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, explains the factors that lead to obesity in the following video from BigThink:

In the following video from BigThink, Barry Bloom, Professor of Public Health at Harvard University, provides a visual presentation of the surge in American obesity. Though the 'disease' is communicated culturally, the Professor of Public Health at Harvard argues that it should still be considered the world's next major medical epidemic: