Amaury Hernández

Weight Problem - Underweight & Overweight

Before a person undertakes a weight gain program, a health professional should be consulted to ensure that a medical disorder has not caused the original weight loss.

A person may decide that he or she is underweight, but this may be because of racial or inherited characteristics. If, however, there has definitely been a weight loss, a physician should be consulted and the cause found.

Question: how do underweight people gain weight?

Some people become dangerously underweight by starving themselves. Anorexia nervosa is an extreme form of self-starvation common in adolescent girls and needs specialized drug and psychiatric treatment. Depression, anxiety, and general fatigue are other factors in weight loss.

Question: Why do people become overweight?

Nearly always because they eat too much. When people eat more than they need for the amount of energy they expend, they will get fat.

Some people may be overweight because of a physical disorder, and some gain weight because of compulsive eating, often a sign of underlying anxiety or depression. Weight gain may also follow a long illness.

Question: Why do some people gain weight much more easily than others?

The reasons for weight gain are not fully understood, but the answer may lie in an individual's metabolism. Babies who are fed excessive amounts of food become fat and often stay overweight into adulthood. There is also evidence that a tendency towards obesity may be genetically transmitted as well.

Question: Are some foods more likely to produce obesity than others?

Yes. Foods rich in carbohydrates, particularly those containing sugar, get converted into fat, if they exceed the body's carbohydrate requirement. Proteins, such as meat and fish, fruit, and vegetables, are less likely to cause obesity. Alcohol has a high calorie content and, apart from other damage it may cause, is a factor in obesity.

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