What Causes Obesity?

Obesity: Fact File

Obesity occurs when, over a long period of time, the amount of food we put into our bodies each day is not used. In essence, this means that there is consistently more energy going in than out. That energy has to go somewhere, so our bodies store it as fat.

We all overindulge every now and then, and it isn’t this occasional overeating that causes obesity; obesity is caused when we overdo it most days, for a sustained period of time.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where it is very easy to gain weight. Our environment encourages us to eat and discourages us from being active.

Morelife understands this. We know how complex our environments are, what drives weight gain, and we know how hard it is to lose weight in the long term; obesity tends to be a chronic and relapsing condition.

Did you know…? It only takes 100 extra calories per day to gain 10 lbs over the course of a year.

WE LIVE IN AN OBESOGENIC ENVIRONMENT
  • Food is readily available, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  • Portion sizes and plates are much bigger than they have been before
  • We can get almost anywhere without having to walk or use a bike
  • TVs, computers, mobile phones and devices encourage a more sedentary lifestyle
  • In buildings, lifts and escalators are more prominently sited and staircases are more difficult to find