Why are some people overweight?

Studies show that in some cases the problem stems from early childhood. The number of fat cells in the body is apparently determined earlier in life. When babies or small children are overfed, abnormally large number of fat cells is formed. Later in life these fat cells may be fully stocked with excess lipids or may be shrunken, but they are always there. People with such increased numbers of fat cells are thought to be more liable to obesity than those with normal numbers. Thus parents, in their concern for weight gain in their babies, may do them a lifetime disservice by over stuffing them-and making it more difficult for them to control their weight throughout life. Studies have also indicated that there may be individual differences in the efficiency with which we metabolize our food. “Hereditary effect” can also be one of the most important causes of obesity. Most people, it seems, can adapt to changes in weight. In some cases metabolic disorders may influence the distribution of fat or increase in appetite, but far too many people blame their obesity upon “glandular problems”

Whatever the underlying causes, the actual process of becoming fat results from overeating. Often obesity can be traced to a combination of poor eating habits and psychological problems. Some people compensate for their frustrations or lack of satisfaction in life by over indulging themselves with food. In many cases such attendant psychological problems must be resolved before the problems of obesity can readily be solved.

To maintain normal body weight, we must maintain a balance between the amount of energy intake and the amount of energy used in activity. Body weight can remains constant only if calorie intake equals calorie expenditure. When we eat more fuel than our bodies need for energy, the excess is stored as fat. Most of us (The urbanites) get little exercise and so require less food than if we were engaged in heavy physical labor. Many persons become overweight in middle age as they decrease their physical activities without also decreasing their food intake.