Obesity

weight gain has become more common and has emerged as a major health issue. People growing concern of obesity is seen in the billions of dollars that are spent each year on weight-loss products. Unfortunately, despite the increased attention being paid to obesity, there are few signs that the trend will slow down. According to federal studies, nearly two-thirds of all Americans are overweight or obese. Since the 1960, the rate of the obesity doubled in adults and children. However, obesity is complex disease with no single cause existing.

Obesity tends to run in the families suggesting genetic link. Recently, scientist discovered a fat gene in mice. Mice with fat genes that were mutated became obese, because of altered metabolic rates. They gained weight because the brain failed to act on signals from the gene. However, researchers do not believe that gene mutation is the primary cause of obesity in humans because families not only share genetic factors but also life style habits.

The major cause of obesity is overeating , which is easy in American culture nowadays. Americans are more likely to eat foods, such as cheeseburgers, pizza, soft drinks and french-fries, that are high in fat. With in a stretch of a mile one can find over two or three fast food restaurants. Increased consumption of such foods is associated with obesity .

Modern life also requires less physical activity than life even a few decades ago. There are now fewer labor-intensive jobs, such as farming, that require some degree of physical exertion. Furthermore, the increasing reliance on technology, including everything from automobiles to microwave ovens, has allowed Americans to do more while using less physical energy.

Emotions is another contributive cause for obesity. Some people overeat because of depression, hopelessness, anger, boredom, and many other reasons that have nothing to do with hunger. This does not mean that overweight and obese people have more emotional problems than other people. It just means that their feelings influence their eating habits, causing them to overeat.

The obesity causes are combination of overeating, little physical activity and emotional factors. None of them can be singled out as the only causes for obesity. It is the complexity of causes which makes obesity a hard to treat disease.

Even though, eating in fast food places and less physical activities causes overeating, genetics