6 Types of Obesity and their Causes

There are many types of obesity, but they can all be controlled if you see a specialist who can personalize your treatment regimen.

“I don’t know what to do to lose more weight,” or “My sister eats twice as much as me and she’s so skinny,” or “I can’t stop eating…”

Have you heard these before? You might have even said them yourself. Can any of them be true?

The answer is yes.

There are many types of obesity and each one has a different cause. Therefore, it’s likely that your diet and exercise plan might not be giving you the results you desire.

To keep from getting frustrated, we’ll explain what the different types are and how they differ. When you decide to lose weight, however, it’s best to see a specialist who can diagnose your particular problem and personalize a treatment regimen, especially tailored for you.

Learn about the 6 types of obesity and their causes

1 – Genetic obesity

Have you ever noticed that there are certain families in which everyone suffers from obesity? This could be due to two issues. They might have overall bad eating habits in the home, or they could all have a genetic predisposition to suffer from this problem.

This doesn’t mean that patients who have genetic obesity should just give up. While it’s true that these people will have a harder time achieving their body shape goals, there are certain steps they can take to lose weight.

First of all, however, a genetic test will be needed to help the doctor design the appropriate intervention.

See also: Does the Dukan diet work for patients with obesity?

2 – Dietary obesity

This is the best-known type. It’s caused by leading a sedentary lifestyle and eating more calories than you burn. This type of obesity has a simper solution. It’s about changing how you eat, as well as your routine.

Those who suffer from this entry in our types of obesity know that it’s not easy to overcome, however. This means making lasting lifestyle changes. It’s not just about going to the gym and eating well for a year – this is discipline for life.

Over time, you’ll be able to relax a little more because your metabolism will be faster. In essence, though, if you want to maintain the results of your diet, you’ll have to be very strict with your habits.

3 – Obesity due to poor regulation

This is one of the most difficult types of obesity to deal with. It means that your body doesn’t regulate the sense of hunger properly so you never feel quite full enough. At all times, therefore, you’ll find yourself wanting to eat even though you’ve already consumed a large amount of food.

When they sit down at the dinner table they can’t stop themselves. The result is a continuous lack of fullness after each meal, which can be complicated by the appearance of the next type on our list.

4 – Nervous obesity

Eating produces pleasure. That’s why people who have anxiety or other psychological problems may compensate for their discomfort with food. In general, they tend to opt for foods that are higher in sugar and fat.

See Also: Five Strategies to Say Goodbye to Stress

In these cases, it’s best to tell your doctor about the diet you’re following. A psychologist or psychiatrist will help you manage the spikes in stress and channel your energy another way. For these patients, the process can be very difficult because they’re giving up one of their few sources of good feelings.

5 – Endocrine obesity

The most common problems are hypothyroidism and hypocorticism. Your endocrine system isn’t working as it should in these cases and it causes you to suffer from a hormonal imbalance.

In the first case, your thyroid produces fewer hormones than needed to metabolize the food you eat. In the second one, it secretes too much.

6 – Thermogenic obesity

Earlier, we said that people become overweight and obese when they consume more calories than they burn. In this case, however, your body doesn’t reach the temperature required for this burning to take place. Therefore, almost everything you eat translates into weight gain.

A doctor can be a big help here and may even be necessary. If you merely follow certain diets it can lead to serious health problems. This is because you run the risk of reducing your food intake to the point of becoming dangerously thin.

The issue of obesity is much more serious than people usually think. It must be treated with care. The best thing to do is when you notice that you’re putting on pounds, talk to your doctor. They will provide you with the most suitable solution for you.