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18 years
I don't a lot of food & rarely eat junk food eat normally But why am I over weight i tried dieting+working out I don't lose more than 5 kg is it possible that some of my glands aren't working right?
Jun 25, 2014

Dr. Rania Mousa General Medicine
Obesity is generally caused by eating too much and moving too little.
If you consume high amounts of energy from your diet, particularly from fat and sugars, but do not burn off the energy through exercise and physical activity, much of the surplus energy is then stored by the body as fat.
Obesity does not happen overnight. It develops gradually over time, as a result of poor diet and lifestyle choices, such as:
eating large amounts of processed or fast food that is high in fat and sugar
drinking too much alcohol – alcohol contains a lot of calories, and people who drink heavily are often overweight
eating out a lot – you may be tempted to also have a starter or dessert in a restaurant, and the food can be higher in fat and sugar
eating larger portions than you need – you may be encouraged to eat too much if your friends or relatives are also eating large portions
drinking too many sugary drinks – including soft drinks and fruit juice
comfort eating – if you feel depressed or have low self-esteem, you may eat to make yourself feel better
Medical reasons for obesity:
In some cases, underlying medical conditions may contribute to weight gain. These include:
an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) – where your thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones
Cushing's syndrome – a rare disorder that causes the over-production of steroid hormones
However, if conditions such as these are properly diagnosed and treated they should pose less of a barrier to weight loss.
Certain medicines, including some corticosteroids, medications for epilepsy and diabetes, and some medications used to treat mental illness – including antidepressants and medicines for schizophrenia – can contribute to weight gain. Weight gain can also sometimes be a side effect of stopping smoking.
It may be true that certain genetic traits inherited from your parents – such as having a large appetite – may make losing weight more difficult, but it certainly doesn't make it impossible.
In many cases, obesity is more to do with environmental factors, such as poor eating habits learned during childhood.
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