Medical and Health Causes of Obesity.

Besides the obesity causes explained in the earlier posts, there are certain health disorders that cause obesity. Certain medicines, too, given for treatment of certain ailments cause obesity on prolonged administration. If you are obese or overweight and on the medicines mentioned below, you would do well to consult your doctor.

Medical Causes of Obesity.

1. Health Conditions Causing Obesity.

• Hypothyroidism. Hypothyroid results in lack of thyroid hormones which are responsible for metabolism in the body. Lack of thyroid hormones slows down the metabolism of the calories and sugar resulting in fat deposits and weight gain/obesity.
• Cushing’s Syndrome is a condition wherein the adrenal glands secrete excess of their hormone called cortisol. Cushing’s syndrome causes obesity due to the extra cortisol stimulating the liver to produce more glucose. This excess glucose which does not get metabolized is deposited as fat, especially around the midriff. People who develop Cushing’s syndrome have fat deposits on the face giving it a round appearance, fat around the neck and abdomen. Their arms and legs are thin.
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrinal disorder affecting about 5% to 10% of women of child bearing age in which small cysts develop on the ovaries. In PCOS, there is hormonal imbalance  which results in insulin resistance. As a result, the body does not utilize insulin properly which results in rise in blood sugar levels. This excess blood sugar gets deposited as fat and over time causes obesity.

2. Medicines That Cause Obesity.

Certain medicines are an obesity cause due to their actions. They are:-

• Antidepressants used to treat depression.
• Anti convulsants used to treat seizures such as Tegretol, Equetro, Carbatrol.
• Prolonged use of corticosteroids such as  Prednisolone.
• Medicines used to treat diabetes such as insulin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones.
• Oral contraceptives.
• Certain medicines used to treat high blood pressure.
• Antihistaminics.

These medicines cause weight gain and obesity by increasing your appetite, slowing down the rate at which the body burns calories and causing water retention in the body.

Previous:(a) Obesity causes -(b) Life style causes (c) Genetic causes

 

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3. Obesity and Liver.
4. Obesity and Infertility.
5. Obesity in America.
6. Obesity Causes|Genetic Causes.
7. Obesity and Sleep.
8. Obesity and Menstruation.