Fast food and reduced physical activity has been well accepted as factors that contribute to obesity. However, evidence has yet to prove that these are the main causes of obesity as it is mostly circumstantial. Experts have suggested 10 other possible causes of obesity that has been outlined in the International Journal of Obesity, with the objective of stimulating a debate.
1. Sleep debt/ not getting enough sleep. Insufficient sleep has the potential of increasing body weight. Many people caught up in the hustle and bustle of life today receive less shut-eye than ever.
2. Pollution. Body weight is controlled by hormones and hormones are in turn affected by pollutants. With more and more people living in city centres and being exposed to more pollution than ever before, this is becoming a big issue.
3. Air conditioning. Calories have to be burned in an environment that is too cold or too hot for comfort. However, people today live and work more and more in temperature -controlled homes and offices.
4. Decreased smoking (controversial but true). Weight can be reduced with smoking. Smoking has been decreased in the recent years.
5. Medicine. Weight gain may be caused by many different drugs such as contraceptives, steroid hormones, diabetes drugs, some antidepressants, and blood pressure drugs. The uses of these drugs are on the rise.
6. Population age, ethnicity. The middle-aged people and Hispanic-Americans tend to be more at risk of becoming obese than young European-Americans.
7. Older moms. The older a woman is when she gives birth has been link to the higher risk of her child in developing obesity. Women today are giving birth at older ages.
8. Ancestors' environment. Influences have the tendency to go back two generations. Environmental changes that made a grandparent obese may also effect their descendants.
9. Obesity linked to fertility. Evidence has shown that people who are obese are more fertile than lean people. The percentage of obese people in the population would rise if obesity has a genetic component.
10. Unions of obese spouses. Obese men and women tend to marry. Hence, if obesity has a genetic component then the number of obese people in the next generation will increase.
More attention and study needs to be put in to these other contributing factors. More explanations include: a fat-inducing virus; increases in childhood depression; less consumption of dairy products; and hormones used in agriculture. In your opinion, what can be attributed to the epidemic?
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