It is a common misconception by society that obesity is a simple combination of eating too much and not being physically active, and that if an individual is overweight or obese that they only have themselves to blame. This has, unfortunately, lead to a nasty stigma surrounding the treatment of people who are overweight or obese, when in fact it is no longer considered to be such a simple equation; there are a number of complex factors that may impact whether a person will become overweight or obese, and today we are going to dig a little deeper into these.
Genetics and obesity
We all have one, that friend that can eat absolutely anything they want in abundance (pizza, chocolate, hot chips) and not gain any weight, whereas for some of us even thinking about eating certain foods we seem to gain a kilo. Genetics impacts the way a person’s body processes and stores energy, as well as influences their behaviours such as eating patterns and exercise.
Biological factors have also been shown to impact how a person’s body responds to weight loss efforts, and this differs from 
person to person. This dates back to our ancestors, and an evolutionary mechanism designed to help conserve energy stores during times when food was inconsistent. However, this mechanism doesn’t differentiate between times of hardship and times of abundance, meaning that when we have constant access to food, a lot of this food being calorie-dense food, it can contribute to weight gain.
So some of us are genetically more likely to become overweight or obese, meaning that in order to do so we generally have to be ‘more careful’ than others who may not genetically be programmed this way. This leads us to our next considerations as to why this can create even further reasons why one may gain weight.
General health and wellbeing
If you are in good health then you are very fortunate, as not everybody is in good health, which can lead to serious restrictions on their physical abilities. There are many reasons why somebody may be restricted physically;
- Conditions such as arthritis or respiratory conditions could mean finding exercise difficult or painful, limiting their overall mobility.
- Those suffering from diabetes must be constantly aware of the impact of energy expenditure on their health.
- Those who have a disability that restricts mobility or even vision impairments may not be able to or feel confident in engaging in exercise. These factors are often further complicated by poor availability of gyms/exercise classes that cater to those with such needs.
- It’s not just the physical health that can lead to weight gain, but also mental health. Mental health issues can often lead a person to become overweight or obese despite their best efforts. Many medications used for the treatment of mental health conditions can also have the negative side effect of weight gain too.
Social factors that contribute to weight gain and obesity
So we now understand that genetics and a person’s general health can play an important part in their weight gain, or management of weight gain. Finally, we will explore the social factors that impact western society (as obesity is an issue mainly restricted to western society).
Education – this is not just relating to how educated a person is or their access to education. But in relation to their actual education of how to manage a healthy diet and lifestyle. Depending on your social-economic status you may not have been privy to this sort of education and may be unaware of how to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Income – a household or individual income has a huge part to play in your ability to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle. For example, a healthy diet according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines costs low-income families up to 31% of their disposable income. The Cost of Living 2018 report shows that families experiencing financial hardship generally spend less on recreation and health costs than the average family.
Obesogenic environment – the term ‘obesogenic environment’ has been used to describe an environment that promotes high energy intake and sedentary behaviour among individuals and populations. Two main components of this obesogenic environment have been identified: the built environment and the food environment.
Built environment – lower socioeconomic groups have less access to green space and are more likely to be sedentary as a result, also the outdoor areas for these groups unfortunately aren’t deemed as safe as a more affluent environment.
Food environment – more fast food outlets, less healthy food stores in lower socioeconomic areas. High exposure to ‘unhealthy’ food marketing. Even school and workplace food environments are considered factors.
Socio-cultural factors – let’s be honest, food serves more than a biological need in today’s society, no matter what culture or background a person is from. Food is considered a mechanism for building community, social connections and relationships. We meet our friends for lunch as a way to catch up with them, or a family will go out for dinner to celebrate a special occasion. Even religious celebrations tend to centre around food, for example indulging in chocolate eggs at Easter, or the meal at the end of a long day of fasting during Ramadan. But this can cause problems for those who are trying to make healthy choices, and can often face difficult social situations where they exert significant amounts of energy on “resisting temptation” or potentially feel disconnected from their social group.
Being overweight or obese is due to a combination of factors
In addition to the above points that we have covered in more detail, there are of course many other factors that could be taken into consideration. For example the Governments policies on obesity and weight management and the effect that they have on individuals in society here in Australia. But that is perhaps the subject of another blog for another day.
What we hope to have achieved today is providing you with a better understanding of why people are continuing to gain weight, are overweight or have obesity. It is not as simple as they eat too much and that is something they should be able to control themselves, leading to the dangerous stigma associated with it. There are many factors involved, and each needs to be addressed individually in society in order for us to evolve and change.
If you are suffering from obesity and are considering bariatric surgery as a treatment option, please contact our team today at Upper GI Surgery on (02) 9553 1220 or contact us online and we will be able to help you take the steps towards discussing your options with one of our bariatric professionals.
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