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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : May 15, 2019 9:11 PM IST
If you see the numbers on your weighing scale going up without any visible cause, dietary or lifestyle change, you need to visit your general physician for a detailed evaluation. ©Shutterstock
If you think that only sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits can lead to weight gain, you are wrong. A number of health conditions can also pay a pivotal role in making you gain weight unintentionally. Hormonal changes, poor sleep and stress are few of the many factors that can give you a fat belly. Gaining weight can affect the quality of your life paving the way for numerous health complications like diabetes, osteoarthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular problems and stroke. So, if you see the numbers on your weighing scale going up without any visible cause, dietary or lifestyle change, it can be even more frustrating. This is the time when you need to visit your general physician for a detailed evaluation. He may recommend a few tests to look for the diseases and conditions that may lead to fat accumulation in your body. Much like unexpected weight gain, unexplained weight loss could also be a sign of worry for you. Health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, dementia, celiac disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis, etc. can lead to sudden weight loss. While you need to consult your physician in both the cases, here, we give you a low-down on the health conditions that can make you gain weight.
This endocrine (hormonal) disorder affects many across the globe. Some estimates suggest that the occurrence of autoimmune thyroid dysfunction is in 12.4 per cent children while the numbers are between 10 to 60 per cent in adults. It is a condition when your thyroid gland fails to produce sufficient amount of thyroid hormones that can affect your bodily functions. Thyroid gland is situated at the end of your neck producing thyroid hormones which are responsible for various body functions such as regulation of metabolism, body temperature, heartbeat, so on and so forth. Triiodothyronine and thyroxine are hormones your thyroid gland produces which regulates your metabolism. The number of calories you will burn in a day is decided the efficiency of your metabolic functions among other factors. Fluctuation in your metabolism caused by low production of thyroid hormones can lead to sudden weight gain. In a study published in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the researchers revealed that hypothyroidism can lead to significant weight gain.
Insomnia is a sleeping disorder where a person fails to doze off. Nowadays, with increasing work-related pressure and stress, insomnia is becoming a common occurrence. If you are suffering from this sleep disorder, you will either find it difficult to fall asleep or wake up at regular intervals. Both take a toll on the quantity and quality of your sleep and increase your chances of gaining those extra kilos. This is how it works: When you don t get proper sleep, it affects your circadian clock leading to a fluctuation in your metabolism. Also, when you are unable to get quality sleep, you might feel exhausted during the day which can make it difficult for you to work out. Your physical activities can take a toll from the sleep-induced fatigue. This is an indirect way of causing weight gain. According to sleep experts and general physicians, you should get at least 7-9 hours of sleep every day.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome, also called PCOS, is a hormonal disorder which either delays your menstrual cycle or gives you prolonged periods. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, if you are suffering from PCOS, you are likely to experience hormonal changes that can cause an acne breakout, hair growth on unwanted body parts like face, difficulty in conceiving and weight gain. The link between PCOS and weight gain is that this hormonal disorder can make you insulin resistant, a condition where your body is unable to convert sugar and starch into energy from foods. High insulin levels lead to the over production of androgen hormones that can make you gain weight. In a study published in the journal Obesity Management, the researchers elucidated that there is a strong link behind PCOS and obesity. The study further noted that women with this hormonal disorder are more likely to gain weight as compared to those who are healthy.
This is a condition where you feel hopeless, sad and lose interest in those activities which you used to like before. The World Health Organization (WHO) rates depression as the most common illness across the globe. According to the estimates of this world body, it affects around 350 million people worldwide. This mental health condition leads to extreme fatigue which takes away your desire to work out or stay active. This leads to weight gain. Moreover, depression may make you overeat. According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, young adults who reported high levels of depression gained weight rapidly as compared to their healthy peers. Notably, this condition can take a toll on your libido too.
As the name suggests, in this condition your heart fails to pump sufficient amount of blood that your body requires. This can cause accumulation of blood and fluid in your feet, ankles and legs leading to swelling. You can also gain some weight due to fluid retention. In some cases, you may also experience swelling in your abdominal region. Apart from this, congestive heart failure can cause chest pain, cognitive impairment, and irregular heartbeat. Some estimates suggest that a person with congestive heart failure can gain up to 1.5 kilograms of weight within a day and around 2.5 kilograms or more in a week.
