According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 41% of adults and 19% of children in the U.S. have obesity. These numbers are concerning since obesity can often lead to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other serious health issues.
Learn more about the most common cause of obesity if you want to prevent this dangerous health issue:
Energy Imbalance
The fundamental cause of obesity is the imbalance between the calories we consume and the calories we expend. This essentially means we’re eating more than we’re spending, resulting in weight gain and, in the long run, obesity.
Unfortunately, this energy imbalance has become a trend for two reasons:
- Unhealthy diet
- Increase in physical inactivity
If your diet consists of junk food, sugars, and processed carbohydrates, you’ll have a higher risk of obesity. Not only that, but an unhealthy diet can also lead to high blood pressure, cholesterol, tooth decay, and many other issues.
A sedentary lifestyle and increased urbanization have led to a lack of physical activity across the planet. Physical inactivity can result in obesity, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.
Other Causes
Energy imbalance is the fundamental cause of obesity, but it’s not the only one you should be aware of. Genetics, lack of sleep, and stress can increase the risk of obesity and as well as other conditions.
Change Your Lifestyle to Prevent Obesity
If you want to prevent or at least lower the risk of obesity, you need to make certain lifestyle changes. Choose healthier foods, increase your physical activity, adopt healthier sleep patterns, and reduce stress as much as you can. It may be hard in the beginning, but after some time, you’ll notice the positive effects.
