Symptoms of WEIGHT CONTROL SUGGESTIONS

Factors that increase your risk of carrying more weight than is healthy include diet, psychological factors, genetics, sex, cigarette smoking, pregnancy and medical problems. High-fat foods are dense in calories. Loading up on soft drinks, candy and desserts also promotes weight gain. Regular consumption of high-calorie foods, such as fast foods, contributes to weight gain. Due to the imbalance between input and output, sedentary people are more likely to gain weight because they don't burn calories through physical activities. Some people overeat to cope with problems or deal with difficult emotions. If one or both of your parents are obese, your chances of being overweight are substantially increased. Your genetic predisposition may affect the amount of body fat you store and where that fat is distributed. However, it is important to note that your genetic makeup, itself, doesn't guarantee that you'll be obese. Men have more muscle than women do, and because muscle burns a greater number of calories than fat burns, men expend up to 20 percent more calories than women do even at rest. Accordingly, women may have a tougher challenge maintaining a healthy weight than men. Aging decreased the amount of muscle in your body. In addition, the as you age you tend to increase the percentage of fat that makes up your weight. This lower muscle mass leads to a decrease in metabolism. Moreover, not only does your metabolism slow naturally with age, but older people tend to be less active. The end result of these changes, is that the amount of calories your body needs to carry out its daily functions is decreased. If you don't decrease your caloric intake as you age, you'll likely gain weight. Smokers tend to gain weight after quitting. This weight gain may be partially due to nicotine's ability to raise the rate at which your body burns calories, your metabolic rate. Smoking also adversely affects taste. Former smokers frequently find that food tastes and smells better and, therefore, consume more. It is very common for women who have been pregnant not to reach their previous weight. After each pregnancy, a woman's weight increases an average of 4 to 6 pounds over her pre-pregnancy weight. Certain medications, such as corticosteroids and tricyclic antidepressants, can lead to weight gain. Medical conditions rarely lead to obesity. Indeed, less than 2 percent of all cases of obesity can be traced to a medical cause, such as low thyroid function, excess production of hormones by the adrenal glands (Cushing's syndrome) or other hormonal imbalances. A low metabolic rate that is the consequence of a particular medical condition rarely is a cause of obesity. Medical problems may indirectly lead to weight gain through decreased activity.