OBESITY 2
Introduction
Obesity is a condition whereby an individual has too much fat in his or her body. People
suffering from obesity tend to be at a higher risk of suffering from sleep apnea, hypertension,
cancer, and type 2 diabetes, among other diseases. A combination of such ailments with obesity
may result in an individual suffering from poor health in the end; in some cases, such poor health
can result in early death or disability. Over the past few decades, obesity has reached epidemic
levels, and with this, there has been an increase in obesity-related diseases. According to
research by Foster-Schubert et al., (2011), the foundation of therapeutic intermediations to
prevent or treat these ailments is weight reduction through lifestyle modification, including
increased physical activities and low-calorie diets alongside behavioral methods to support these
progressions. On an international scale, overweight and obesity are the fifth cause of death
(Soeliman & Azadbakht, 2014). This paper focuses on the main causes of obesity.
Causes of Obesity
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is used in determining if a person is overweight or obese. If
the individuals’ BMI is between the range of 25 and 29.9, they are considered overweight; on the
other hand, if the BMI reads 30 and above the individual is considered obese. Over 36.5% of the
United States adult population is obese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018). At
first glance, the main cause of obesity appears to be straightforward. On the off chance that an
individual consumes more calories than they do burn, then it is expected that they will add some
weight: This is true; however, there are other components that play a significant role in obesity.
The risk factors that play a role in weight gain can be a sophisticated combination of hereditary
factors, metabolic rate, lifestyle, and even socioeconomic factors. Additionally, some
