Paras Hemrajani
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Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat. © Shutterstock
October 11 is World Obesity Day. On this occasion, it is important to know the cause of obesity. You might assume that your unexpected gain in weight is caused by your eating habits or how active you are, but the truth is that is not the case all the time. A long list of health conditions can trigger weight gain by affecting your appetite or energy level or by causing any other trigger in the body. Here are some of the heath conditions that can lead to weight changes.
If you are experiencing a sudden spike in your weight, then it is better to talk to a doctor, to check whether it is being caused by an underlying condition. On this World Obesity Day, know some of the health conditions that can lead to obesity.
Hypothyroidism refers to the condition where the thyroid gland fails to make enough triiodothyronine and thyroxine hormones. Triiodothyronine and thyroxine hormones control the rate at which you burn calories in the body. This is also known as metabolism. If the hormones are not released, metabolism becomes slow and you will start to gain weight. Hypothyroidism symptoms include fatigue, joint and muscle pain, dry skin, constipation, thinning hair, decreased sweating, difficulty tolerating cold, irregular periods, depression, and a slowed heart rate.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder, which causes enlargement of ovaries with cysts on the outer edges of the ovaries. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), PCOS causes weight gain as it is connected to insulin resistance. PCOS can make the body immune to insulin, which could increase the sugar level in the blood. Sugar in blood is hard to overcome and could lead to unexpected weight gain.
Insomnia refers to the condition where you are unable to sleep. The most common symptoms of insomnia include irritability, difficulty paying attention, and anxiety about sleep, but along with these common symptom, one rare symptom is weight gain. Insomnia doesn't let the body rest and makes it weak. As the body becomes weak, metabolism slows down. People often try to treat insomnia by consuming alcohol, which only adds calories to the body.
Cushing syndrome refers to the condition, where the body makes too much of the cortisol hormone. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, USA, cortisol drives up our stress levels and could also affect interfere with your metabolism. Apart from weight gain, Cushing syndrome causes deposits of fat-based tissue at the upper back, face and between the shoulders.
When your heart fails to pump blood to meet your body' demand, blood and fluids start to build up at the feet, ankles, and legs, causing rapid weight gain. Apart from weight gain, collection of blood and fluids leads to the need to pee at night, difficulty concentrating, chest pain, fatigue and shortness of breath.