There are numerous factors which lead to our weight gain. Most of these factors are curable and through a planned and disciplined diet chart, the aim of becoming healthy and losing out the unhealthy pounds can be achieved. Let us discuss on the factors leading to weight gain.

1. Unhealthy eating: by Unhealthy eating we mean consumption of fast foods, burgers, pizzas, ice-creams, sweetened drinks, soft-drinks, chips, biscuits, cookies, cakes etc. These foods are very rich in animal proteins, sodium and bad carbohydrates. They have negligible nutritious value but have very high fat and sugar content leading to diabetes and cardio vascular diseases in addition to weight gain.

We understand that these are feel good foods and therefore the craving for them is higher.

We are not asking you to quit having them, just reduce their intake.

 -substitute sweetened drinks or colas for water.

-chocolate cookies with digestive biscuits

-chips with low calorie snacks

-ice- creams with flavoured yogurt

Please Note: the daily calorie intake needs to be monitored so if you do end up consuming a high calorie fast food for your lunch, try taking it easy for dinner so that the overall calorie intake balance is maintained.

2. Fat cell theory:This theory states that people are born with a certain number of fats cells that never increase during our lifetimes, they only get bigger as we gain weight or shrink as we lose weight .

Fat cells and their behaviour: Our fat cells known as “Adipose” tissue grow till we reach adolescence post that they are more or less static as in they neither increase nor decrease.

These fat cells are highly flexible and they keep expanding to accumulate additional fat deposits.

3. Overeating/excess eating:Tasty food, favourite food, parties, marriages, dining out etc has given rise to this concept of overeating. There is a specific amount of food that we need for our existence, once we eat more than that amount, it leads to obesity.

A thumb rule to follow in order to avoid over eating is to stop eating just before you feel completely full as in when you feel that you can consume one more chapati/roti or a little more rice – stop then and there, and do not consume that chapati or rice.

Please note: On excess eating, our calorie intake increases for that meal which our bodies are incapable of expending or burning for our use. So our bodies save these excess calories as fat for future use thereby giving rise to an increase in weight as well as augmentation of fat deposits. So “Portion Control” is the key. Do not abstain from consuming your favourite foods just control the intake of them and you are good to go.

4. Genetic disorders: As per the “Journal Of Clinical Investigation (July 2013 issue)” weight gain has been associated with a faulty gene called FTO. 1 out of every 6 people with this gene in their DNA tend to overeat and have general disposition towards consumption of fatty foods thereby leading to weight gain and thereby making them obese.

Also, it is seen that children of families where either of the parent is obese tend to be obese. This may also be due to unhealthy food habits and lifestyle of the family.

5. Obesity: Obesity is a disease and should be treated like one. It is imperative to understand that whether a person is really obese. Being chubby doesn’t make you obese. Perfect BMI is what models have so don’t aim for that. Do not compare yourself with someone who has an endomorph body type who may appear skinny due to the way his/her body is formed. To determine obesity follow this simple rule.

Measure your waist size:- if it more than 35 inches in women and more than 40 inches in men, then the likelihood is that- yes, the individual is obese and immediately consult an expert to work out a weight loss regime.

Measure your BMI (Body Mass Index) : This is a simple measure of height and weight. It does not account for muscle mass and is therefore is an indicative measurement.

A simple method  for BMI calculation is:

weight/ (height in metres )²

Let me explain it with an example. Say the height of the person is 5 feet 3 inches and the weight is 65kgs. The BMI calculation would result in first conversion of feet and inches into meters. One inch is equal to 0.0254 meters so the calculation would be:

Step 1: 5 feet = 5 X 12 = 60 inches

Step 2: add 3

Step 3: total inches = 63 inches

Step 4: 63 X 0.0254 = 1.6002

Step 5: divide the weight in kgs by height in meters square

65/(1.6002 X 1.6002) = 25.38428 (BMI)

The table would provide further indication of the person’s obesity measurement

BMI Calculator	Weight Indicator	Recommendation
< 18.5	Underweight	Increase weight to optimize health
18.5-24.9	Normal	Maintain Weight
25 -29.9	Overweight	Reduce weight through calorie control and exercise
30-39.9	Obese	Special diet, counselling and exercise regime
> 40	Extreme Obese	Special diet, medications and surgery (if recommended by a doctor)

6. Metabolic disorders: The process of conversion of food to energy is known as metabolism.

A body  performs, series of chemical reactions on the food for its conversion to energy, if any abnormal chemical reaction disrupts this process it is known as metabolic disorder. Usually the absence of an enzyme gives rise to such a disorder.

It can also be inherited whereby the cause is a faulty gene whose both faulty copies are inherited  by the child from each parent.

Unnatural fat accumulation or obesity  can also be a type of metabolic disorder.

7. Hypo-Thyroidism: The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that sits low on the front of the neck, just below the Adam’s apple in front of the windpipe. A malfunctioning thyroid gland can depress metabolism and lead to fat accumulation.

This is a medical condition and is treated by medications prescribed by doctors. In addition to the medication it is advisable to start exercising for shedding the weight already gained in excess.

8. Depression:Individuals suffering from Depression, low self esteem and psychological disorders tend to resort to binge eating  as an emotional outlet, this unnaturally large amount of food consumed leads to excess calories being stored as fat.

It is imperative that such individuals should undergo counselling. Please understand food is not your defence mechanism so instead of gorging on food, get up and take stock of the situation that you are in and take steps towards solving it.

Here take the help of your friends and family, go out with them, talk to them, ask your friends to walk with you in gardens or on beaches. Take small baby steps towards life and your problem of excess weight gain would dissipate.

9. Lifestyle: One of the reasons why the young corporate workers and professionals tend to gain weight is due to their lifestyle. Long working hours, little or no exercise coupled with alcohol, cigarettes and mid day snacking leads to weight gain.

This weight gain is largely centered around the waist area due to the sitting jobs most of these people are into; leading to obesity, hypertension and diabetes.

In children- fast food, video games, computer games and social media sites are the culprits. In the age where they should be running and playing around with friends, these children prefer the comfort of their air conditioned rooms and gaming consoles. Such a lifestyle would lead to a weight gain.