Who Is At Risk For Obesity?

Obesity does not appear to be a disease that discriminates.

Yet there are risk factors that increase the chances of becoming obese.

Risk factors for obesity include race, genetics, poor diet, lack of physical activity, and age.

The most talked about causes of obesity are poor diet and lack of exercise.

Since high-calorie, low-nutrient foods are so convenient, it is not a surprise that fast food has played a part in obesity in America.

Coupled with a decrease in physical activity, it is no surprise that America is getting fat.

After all, we are a nation of big cars and video games, not cool bicycles and jump ropes.

It wasn’t so long ago that people used their own two legs for transportation and having fun involved getting up and actually doing something.

It is no surprise that the transition towards convenience and comfort has resulted in some pretty heavy consequences.

Studies have shown that there is a higher incidence of obesity among minorities. There is only speculation as to why this is the case. It could range from socioecomomic issues to a genetic predisposition. It is not unusual for obesity to run in families. In fact, there are some rare hereditary diseases that can increase the risk for obesity.

Age also increases the risk for obesity. This could be due to a decrease in physical activity as a person ages. Perhaps it is because the metabolism begins to slow down with age. In any case, the incidence of obesity appears to double between the ages of 20 to 55.

As people age, they try break some bad habits that they developed when they were young and thought they could live forever. Smoking is one of the habits. Unfortunately, the risk of obesity increases when you quit smoking.

Of course, gaining weight shouldn’t be a deterrent in the choice to kick this particularly bad habit. In the case, the benefits certainly outweigh the risks.

Even though there are many risk factors that contribute to obesity, many of them can be overcome. Awareness is the key to prevention.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you have many of the risk factors. They can tell you exactly what is needed to prevent your risk of becoming obese.