Why does obesity cause health problems

That's not just because of the genes they share. Family members also tend to share similar eating and activity habits. In some people, obesity can be traced to a medical cause, such as Prader-Willi syndrome, Cushing syndrome and other conditions.

Medical problems, such as arthritis, also can lead to decreased activity, which may result in weight gain. Some medications can lead to weight gain if you don't compensate through diet or activity. These medications include some antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, diabetes medications, antipsychotic medications, steroids and beta blockers. Social and economic factors are linked to obesity.

Avoiding obesity is difficult if you don't have safe areas to walk or exercise. Similarly, you may not have been taught healthy ways of cooking, or you may not have access to healthier foods. In addition, the people you spend time with may influence your weight — you're more likely to develop obesity if you have friends or relatives with obesity.

Obesity can occur at any age, even in young children. But as you age, hormonal changes and a less active lifestyle increase your risk of obesity. In addition, the amount of muscle in your body tends to decrease with age. Generally, lower muscle mass leads to a decrease in metabolism. These changes also reduce calorie needs and can make it harder to keep off excess weight. If you don't consciously control what you eat and become more physically active as you age, you'll likely gain weight.

Even if you have one or more of these risk factors, it doesn't mean that you're destined to develop obesity. You can counteract most risk factors through diet, physical activity and exercise, and behavior changes. People with obesity are more likely to develop a number of potentially serious health problems, including:. Obesity can diminish the overall quality of life. You may not be able to do physical activities that you used to enjoy. You may avoid public places.

People with obesity may even encounter discrimination. Obesity care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Obesity can affect nearly every system in your body, from your brain to your lungs and your liver.

This infographic explains the long-term effects of…. Even though poor diet and inactivity can lead to obesity, it's not always that simple. Here are 9 reasons why obesity is not just an individual choice.

Experts say a nutrient-rich diet and regular exercise can help you lose weight and lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. Asian-Americans have higher rates of…. Experts say you can reduce the amount of ultra-processed foods in your diet by cooking meals from scratch and sticking to a prewritten shopping list. Learn what the term "skinny fat" means, what causes it, what its health consequences are, and the risks it may introduce.

Having gastric bypass surgery requires following some important gastric bypass diet guidelines. Discover them here along with tips for being more…. Stomach stapling is one of the oldest types of bariatric surgery. Gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery….

Obesity can raise your risk for serious diseases like diabetes. Learn about childhood obesity, risk factors, classes, and more. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Common Health Conditions Related to Obesity. Medically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M. Type 2 diabetes Heart disease Stroke Sleep apnea High blood pressure Liver disease Gallbladder disease Certain cancers Pregnancy complications Depression Lower your risk Takeaway Overview Obesity is a condition in which a person has a harmful amount of body fat or an unhealthy distribution of body fat.

Type 2 diabetes. Heart disease. Sleep apnea. High blood pressure. Liver disease. Gallbladder disease. Certain cancers. Pregnancy complications. How to lower your risk. Read this next. How Does Obesity Affect the Body? Americans Are Eating More Ultra-Processed Foods: How to Cut Down on Them Experts say you can reduce the amount of ultra-processed foods in your diet by cooking meals from scratch and sticking to a prewritten shopping list.

Your Guide to the Gastric Bypass Diet. Medically reviewed by Kathy W. In addition, adults need to do activities that strengthen muscles at least 2 days a week.

A healthy diet pattern follows the Dietary Guidelines for Americans external icon which emphasizes eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and drinking water. A pattern of healthy eating and regular physical activity is also important for long-term health benefits and prevention of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

For more, see Healthy Weight — Finding a Balance. People and families may make decisions based on their environment or community. For example, a person may not walk or bike to the store or to work because of a lack of sidewalks or safe bike trails. Community, home, childcare, school, health care, and workplace settings can all influence daily behaviors. Therefore, it is important to create environments that make it easier to engage in physical activity and eat healthy foods.

Watch The Obesity Epidemic external icon to learn about factors that contribute to the obesity epidemic, as well as several community initiatives to prevent and reduce obesity. Learn about community strategies to make it easier to be physically active. See strategies to prevent obesity and school health guidelines. Genetic changes in human populations occur too slowly to be responsible for the obesity epidemic.

Nevertheless, how people respond to an environment that promotes physical inactivity and intake of high-calorie foods suggests that genes do play a role in developing obesity. Genes give the body instructions for responding to changes in its environment. Variants in several genes may contribute to obesity by increasing hunger and food intake. Rarely, a clear pattern of inherited obesity within a family is caused by a specific variant of a single gene monogenic obesity.

Most obesity, however, probably results from complex interactions among multiple genes and environmental factors that remain poorly understood multifactorial obesity. Health care practitioners routinely collect family health history to help identify people at high risk of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and some forms of cancer.

Family health history reflects the effects of shared genetics and environment among close relatives. Families cannot change their genes, but they can encourage healthy eating habits and physical activity. Those changes can improve the health of family members—and improve the health history of the next generation. Learn more about obesity and genomics.