Understanding Underlying Weight Gain Causes

The root cause of overweight and obesity sounds deceptively simple -- if you take in more calories than you use, you'll gain weight. But in reality, there are several underlying weight gain causes that can contribute to your weight beyond calories consumed and burned.

A Simple Part of Life

Some weight gain is a normal part of life, particularly for women. Weight gain occurs with pregnancy, and a periodic weight gain may occur with menstruation (typically referred to as "water weight").

Rapid weight gain that can't be attributed to either of these normal causes may be a sign of dangerous fluid retention, and anyone experiencing it should notify their doctor.

Aging is also a natural and expected cause of a certain amount of weight gain. As we age, our metabolism slows, which can cause weight gain unless we also reduce the amount of food we eat and get adequate exercise.

Something More

You may also gain weight because of other reasons that are not a part of everyone's daily life:

• significant alcohol use
• use of certain drugs such as corticosteroids, cyproheptadine, lithium, tranquilizers, phenothiazines, some antidepressants, and medicines that increase fluid retention and cause edema
• emotional factors, such as guilt and anxiety
• quitting smoking

Underlying Medical Concerns

The extra pounds you add on may be what seems most concerning in your mind, but there are cases where the worry truly is something greater. Weight gain can also be a symptom or the result of certain medical conditions. These can include:

• endocrine diseases, such as Cushing syndrome and hypothyroidism
• heart disorders
• lung disorders
• polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• depression

The good news is that weight gain, regardless of its cause, can often be combated with consistent lifestyle and dietary changes and an increase in physical activity. Your physician can help you determine whether or not these underlying causes may be leading to weight gain in your own personal situation. Talk to your doctor today if you have unexplained weight gain and any of the following symptoms:

• constipation
• hair loss
• sensitivity to cold
• swollen feet and shortness of breath
• uncontrollable hunger accompanied by palpitations, tremor, and sweating
• vision changes

_Source:

National Institutes of Health. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Weight gain - unintentional. Update Date: May 27 2009. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003084.htm