Characteristics of people prone to weight gain and key periods of weight gain in life

7. Who is prone to weight gain?

Through clinical observation and analysis, we know that the following conditions are prone to obesity.

People who enjoy sweets and oily foods, frequently snack, and whose meals consist only of rice, noodles, and starchy foods while disliking vegetables are more prone to obesity. This is because these foods are high in carbohydrates and fats, providing a lot of calories.

People who frequently drink alcohol are prone to obesity because 1 gram of alcohol can produce 7 kilocalories of heat. Drinking a small amount of alcohol is not harmful to the body, but if you drink a lot of alcohol, the excess calories will be converted into fat and stored, causing the body to become fat.

Athletes, coaches, actors, and people in physically demanding jobs who stop exercising or change jobs for some reason will experience a significant reduction in their exercise and energy expenditure. If their diet is not adjusted or reduced, they will quickly become obese, and some may even become obese.

Some people become obese due to reduced physical activity or even bed rest caused by certain diseases such as tuberculosis, nephritis, hepatitis, or fractures.

People with mental illness may experience excessive sleepiness, thirst, and lethargy due to the use of antipsychotic medications, which often leads to weight gain and obesity.

If the previous generation was obese, weight is influenced to some extent by genetic factors, with 40% to 60% of obese people having a family history of obesity.

According to the survey, if one parent is obese, half of their children will be overweight. If both parents are obese, about two-thirds of their children will be obese. If both parents are thin or of normal build, only 10% of their children will be obese.

The correlation of weight between identical twins is greater than that between fraternal twins or non-twins, especially after identical twins are separated and raised in different environments, the correlation between their weights still exists.

There is no significant correlation between the weight of adopted children and their adoptive parents, but there is a close correlation between the weight of adopted children and their biological parents.

It has been discovered that not only is obesity hereditary, but the location of fat distribution is also hereditary.

For example, a study of 18 obese mothers showed that 12 of them had obese daughters, and the distribution of fat in the mothers and daughters was also very similar.

There is also a close relationship between bone structure and obesity.

Only 3% of men and 5% of women with normal bone structure are overweight, while 37% of men and 67% of women with broad bones are overweight.

Among obese women, 52% have a strong body type, compared to only 15% among women of normal weight.

This indicates that people with broad bones and strong physiques are more likely to be obese.

8. During which periods are people most likely to gain weight?

The main causes of obesity are a sedentary lifestyle and a diet high in fat and energy.

When the body takes in more energy than it needs to expend, there is excess energy. The body's anabolism exceeds its catabolic metabolism, causing the excess energy to be converted into fat and stored in fat deposits, leading to obesity.

Throughout a person's long life, it is not easy to gain weight at every stage. The periods when it is easier to gain weight are infancy, puberty, late marriage, pregnancy, postpartum, middle age, and menopause.

It can also be summarized into three prominent periods: first, infancy and early childhood, from 1 year old to preschool age; second, puberty; and third, middle and old age after 40 years old.

(1) Infancy: According to common sense, people believe that a chubby infant is a sign of good health.

Therefore, the idea that parents always hope their children will be as fat as possible is actually a misconception.

Especially in modern times, with the one-child policy, people with only one child and good economic conditions may not be getting enough nutrition for their baby.

Therefore, when babies are only 2 to 3 months old, in addition to breastfeeding, they should also be formula-fed. Adding solid foods too early or in too much way is not advisable.

In the first few months, babies cannot crawl or move around. They sleep after being fed, and their energy is not used up. Overfeeding causes them to consume more energy than they need, which leads to obesity in infants and young children.

With social development and improved living standards, many elders spoil their only children who are preschool age excessively, indulging their every whim in their daily meals and satisfying their every desire to eat, thus fostering bad habits such as picky eating and unbalanced diets in children.

In addition, the constant snacking leads to the storage of energy in the body, which, over time, causes children to become obese.

(2) Puberty: When children enter puberty, the function of the ovaries and testes in their bodies is enhanced, and the secretion of sex hormones gradually increases.

In girls, estrogen can increase subcutaneous fat content, while in boys, androgens can promote increased protein synthesis.

When girls reach the age of 13 and boys reach the age of 14, their growth and development suddenly accelerate, with an annual height increase of 3% to 5% and an annual weight increase of 10% to 14%, resulting in an annual increase of 4 to 5 kilograms, and in some cases reaching 8 to 10 kilograms. After about 2 to 3 years, the peak period passes and the growth rate slows down again.

During this period, due to changes in sex hormone secretion, the body's anabolism exceeds catabolism, resulting in better appetite, stronger digestion, and higher energy intake.

At the same time, due to the influence of hormonal changes in the human body, children entering puberty will experience significant changes in personality, transforming from being playful and lively to becoming more stable and refined.

During this period, children need to advance to higher grades every year, and their academic burden is heavier than before. This results in longer study time and significantly reduced time for activities and exercise. As a result, adolescents tend to consume more calories, and if they reduce their energy expenditure, they are more likely to gain weight.

(3) After marriage: Before marriage, most young people like various social and cultural activities, sleep late, and do not pay much attention to their diet. For example, people who eat in the canteen have irregular eating habits or the food is not to their liking, so they do not eat much. Some people save money in order to raise money for their wedding, so they eat carelessly.

After getting married, their lifestyles changed. They had bought household appliances before marriage, and the young couple cooked and ate together. The food was delicious, their eating habits were regular, and they ate a lot.

At the same time, social activities have also decreased.

In addition, newlyweds are generally well-off and keep sweets and pastries at home. After dinner, they relax together, watching TV and snacking. As a result, they will gain weight in no time.

(4) Pregnancy: After a woman becomes pregnant, as the fetus grows, it is mainly due to excessive energy intake and reduced activity.

During pregnancy, the average weight gain can be 10 kilograms due to the enlargement of the fetus, placenta, and reproductive organs.

During the first three months of pregnancy, weight gain typically ranges from 0.25 to 2.7 kg, with an average of 0.9 kg. From the fourth to the sixth month, weight gain ranges from 3.5 to 6.5 kg, with an average of 4.0 kg. From the seventh to the ninth month, the average weight gain is 4 to 5 kg.

It is generally believed that weight gain during pregnancy should not exceed 12.5 kg.

Significant weight gain indicates excessive fat accumulation in the body, leading to obesity.

(5) Postpartum period: ① Excessive weight gain during pregnancy will become the basis for postpartum obesity.

As the uterus enlarges and abdominal muscles expand during pregnancy, the abdominal wall relaxes after childbirth, and the abdominal muscles lose tension, making it easier for fat to accumulate.

②Nowadays, couples only have one child, and most families try their best to increase the nutrition of pregnant women in order to give birth to a healthy baby.

From the very beginning of pregnancy, they are told to eat more and eat better, because they believe that if the pregnant woman is fat, she can give birth to a fat baby.

In order to produce good breast milk during lactation, nutrition is increased and energy intake is significantly increased after childbirth.

③Because they are used to giving birth and raising children during this period, their activity level is greatly reduced. Not only do they have less outdoor activity, but they also have their housework done by others, so they don't burn off all their energy.

④ Changes in sex hormone metabolism during childbirth promote fat storage.

Therefore, for all the reasons mentioned above, one can quickly become obese.