Obesity is a major health problem affecting 2.3 billion people worldwide. The World Heart Federation estimates that the problem currently affects nearly 30% of the world's population and is growing every year. One of the reasons we fail to address the problem effectively is that we misdiagnose the weight gain problem and keep thinking of it as a problem of overeating. But the problem is that overeating is a symptom of weight gain, not the cause. Weight gain is a metabolic problem caused by a hormonal imbalance in the body.
So we need to correct these hormonal imbalances in the body that cause us to overeat in order to correct the problem of weight gain and excess fat accumulation. These hormones include the hunger hormone ghrelin and the satiety hormone leptin. For example, a viral infection in the body causes a fever, for which antipyretic drugs are taken to reduce symptoms. But it's not a long-term solution because it won't kill the infection in the body because the pathogen that caused the infection is still there. Therefore, targeted therapy for fever reduction involves eradicating the virus from the body. Likewise, inadequate food intake only treats the symptoms of weight gain, so there is no long-term effect of permanent weight loss. When we try to address the root cause of overeating by eating less, it still doesn't. On a low-calorie diet, weight loss stalls over time due to the body's intelligence and strong adaptation to the type and amount of food we eat.
First, when the body does not get enough energy due to a drop in food intake, it causes our internal processes to slow down. The sum of these internal processes is known as your body's metabolic rate, and it causes your body to burn fewer calories to get through the day, compensating for reduced energy intake. At the same time, our hunger levels increase to prevent a dramatic weight loss. Due to decreased energy expenditure and increased appetite, we not only stop losing weight, but we end up gaining weight rapidly. These are compensatory measures taken by the body to ensure fat stores are filled for long-term survival. Nutrient deficiencies, diets high in omega-6 fats, and insulin resistance also contribute to obesity and are now recognized as factors in the excessive accumulation of fat stores through overeating.
Poor eating habits can lead to nutrient deficiencies, which are the main cause of obesity. Our bodies need many essential nutrients from the food we eat to survive and function properly, such as certain fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals. When our body doesn't get enough of these essential nutrients, it can develop metabolic disease, leading to overeating and weight gain. For example, a vitamin D deficiency can lead to increased body fat and laziness, while a magnesium deficiency can mess with our hormones, making it harder to lose weight. Another important contributor to obesity is a diet rich in omega-6 fats. Omega-6 fats are essential fats that our bodies need for various functions, such as building cells and maintaining the integrity of protective cell walls. However, omega-6 fats should be eaten with the correct ratio of omega-3 fats to balance the body's metabolic functions and maintain health. Ideally, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fat intake should be at most 4:1. Unfortunately, in today's society, that ratio is almost four times higher, at 16:1.
This imbalance can lead to chronic inflammation and disrupt the brain's satiety signals, causing us to overeat. Food sources rich in omega-6 fats are grains, grains and refined cooking oils made from plant seeds and nuts, while we only get omega-3 from fish and trace amounts from vegetables, chia seeds and flaxseeds of omega-3. The good news is that diets rich in wholesome, whole foods tend to have the best nutritional matrix, including protein, vitamins and minerals, for good health and optimal appetite. Unfortunately, the processed foods we consume are high in omega-6 and omega-3 fats, and these foods are designed for high taste rather than perfect nutritional balance.
Insulin resistance is another hormonal imbalance that leads to obesity. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels in our body. Insulin helps energy-hungry cells in the body, such as the brain, muscles, and other organs, get sugar energy to function properly. In the fat depots, insulin helps store energy that is expended through meals. When we eat, our blood sugar levels rise and insulin is released to help transport sugar into our cells, lowering blood sugar levels and bringing them down to healthy levels. However, when our diets are high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, such as the madara found in packaged, junk, and processed foods, our metabolically active cells become saturated with sugar. This causes them to become resistant to the action of insulin, which directs more energy to be stored as fat, which can lead to weight gain and other health problems, such as type 2 diabetes.
Obesity is a complex problem caused by several factors, including nutrient deficiencies, consumption of a diet rich in omega-6 fats, and insulin resistance. Understanding the root causes of overeating can address weight gain and improve our overall health.
(The author, a celebrity health coach and functional medicine expert, just published Eating Less Will Make You Fat with Hachette India.)
