Posted on January 9, 2008 in Latest News
Studies have found that some people eat more when affected by depression, anxiety, binge eating, or other emotional disorders. Because overweight and obesity often cause these psychological disorders. A cycle develops that causes greater and greater obesity, associated with increasingly severe emotional difficulties.
It is commonly believed that some people overeat because of depression, hopelessness, anger, boredom, and many other reasons that have nothing to do with hunger. It is always not necessary that overweight and obese people have more emotional problems than other people. In fact, their feelings influence their eating habits, causing them to overeat.
The World Health Organization now considers obesity to be a global epidemic and a public health problem as more nations become “Westernized.” In spite of the proven health risks of obesity, the government, insurance companies, and the medical profession spend very little money to counteract the commercial and cultural pressures that are producing millions of overweight people. According to research studies, the factors mentioned below are responsible for obesity.
Sedentary Habits
- Perhaps the primary reason for the dramatic rise in obesity is the sedentary lives led by most Americans, including children and young people. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1970 and 2000 the typical American man increased his caloric intake by 168 calories a day (good for 17 pounds a year) while the average woman added 335 calories a day.
- Adolescents need to get off the couch and get moving; sedentary habits in early adolescence influence body mass in late adolescence.
- Because of computer games, gizmos and other indoor activities, children are spending lesser time playing sports. They burn fewer calories and thus tend to gain weight. Along with sedentary lifestyle, there is also academic pressure that our children face every day. There is homework, tuitions, exams, grades etc to worry about and these pressures often result in less physical activity.
Media
- Famous media personalities endorse aerated drinks, fried foods like chips that give nothing but empty calories. Children take these personalities as their role models and ape them.
- Advertising gimmicks are also responsible to an extent. Free gifts given with chips, chocolate etc. encourage kids as well as parents to buy foods that they don’t require.
Home Environment
- This works in two ways. Grandparents dote on their grandchildren and fill their tummies with ghee and sugar-rich food. On the other hand, if both the parents are working, mothers prefer to buy ready-to-eat snacks rather than cook at home. These snacks are rich in sodium, sugar and fat, leading to accumulation of body fat.
- Excessive nibbling on junk food and munching in between meals can lead to weight gain.
Emotional Breakdown
- There are emotional reasons individuals eat when they are not hungry. Some use food as a defense mechanism to stop unwanted feelings. Food is used as a tool to overcome feelings of boredom, worry, guilt, sadness, and loneliness. Eating helps to procrastinate the beginning of a job one does not want to do.
- Some overeat because they see it as shameful to throw food away. Some people reason that when they are thin they cannot be passive but must face their fears. Some feel inferior and eat to feel secure.
- Using food to find happiness, peace of mind, and/or gain control in one’s life is the beginning of addiction. Food addiction causes eventual withdrawal from society, friends and loved ones. Under the influence of addiction overweight or obese individuals may hide stores of food or eat in concealment to hide their addiction from others.
- In some unusual cases, obesity may be used as a defense mechanism because of the perceived social pressures related to being more physically desirable, particularly in young girls. In these cases, as with the other emotional causes, psychological intervention may be helpful.
Addictions
- Many addictions come from bottling feelings inside and covering them up with addictive substances. Men have been taught to hold back their emotions to prove they are men. They have sought different ways to cover up their feelings. Food is one of many addictions men do. Even more frequently used is alcohol.
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March 27th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I think this site is informational to all pepole of all ages