The main reason for gaining excess weight in both men and women is bad nutrition combined with a sedentary lifestyle. Hormone levels also play a role – for example, high cortisol increases cravings for fast carbohydrates, while accelerating the accumulation of fat in the abdomen.
Speaking about the causes of excess weight, it is important to separate the primary and secondary factors. For example, an excess of fast carbohydrates and saturated fats in the diet is the primary factor in metabolic disorders – while bad mood, lack of energy, and unwillingness to exercise are secondary. Age-related hormonal changes also affect weight gain. In turn, in women after menopause, the body’s susceptibility to insulin changes – increasing cravings for fast carbohydrates.
How do hormones influence weight gain? A person’s appetite is controlled by three key hormones. The hormone leptin, produced in adipose tissue, creates a feeling of fullness and stops eating. The hormone ghrelin, produced in the stomach, creates cravings for food and “turns on” the feeling of hunger. Plus, the hormone insulin creates sugar cravings.
To maintain a stable weight, the production of these hormones must be balanced – however, fast carbohydrates and saturated fats (against the background of a sedentary lifestyle) bring discord and break metabolism. The difficulty lies in the fact that the more fat there is in the human body, the more the metabolism is disturbed.
Why does the belly grow? The reason for a sudden weight gain can be many factors – ranging from age-related hormonal changes, ending with loss of mobility due to injury. However, it is important to “seize the moment” and stop the weight gain – otherwise, negative changes (and fat gain) will only accelerate over time.
1. Overeating Consuming more energy with food than required by the daily calorie intake provokes rapid weight gain and excess deposition in fat depots on the sides and hips. Remember that a handful of sweets per day (200-300 kcal) will provide a weight gain of 8-10 kg per year.
2. Love for sweets It is a mistake to think of sugar as just empty calories. Eating even a small amount of sweets, dramatically increases the level of glucose in the blood – after a few minutes, this level drops, and you feel a characteristic desire to snack and eat something tasty.
3. High stress levels To function effectively in a stressful situation, the body accumulates energy with the help of a sharp increase in the hormone cortisol. Although it is effective in a short period of time, chronic stress literally exhausts the body.
4. Thyroid gland Low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism) are characterized by serious metabolic disturbances, including rapid weight gain, chronic fatigue, headaches, insomnia, and an inability to get enough sleep even with plenty of sleep.
5. Age-related hormonal changes At the age of 45-50, women begin menopause, characterized by a change in metabolism. According to studies, the average weight gain during this period is from 5 to 7 kg. As the metabolism changes, getting rid of this weight is not always easy.
6. Taking medication Taking certain medications can lead to a change in metabolism and an increase in the level of body fat. Examples are antidepressants, antipsychotics, diabetes, high blood pressure, and anabolic steroids.
7. Lack of sleep Lack of proper sleep and chronic lack of sleep is characterized by serious stress for the body. Since not only the body is restored during sleep, but also the brain with the central nervous system, lack of sleep significantly impairs biochemical processes.
The consequences of rapid weight gain A sharp weight gain is not only an aesthetic problem. Obesity causes complex damage to the health of the body because, with an increase in excess weight, fat cells begin to play an increasingly active role in human metabolism, disrupting metabolism.
Possible health risks Excess body fat has been linked to high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal damage (such as osteoarthritis), and even some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon cancers).
Abrupt weight gain is a serious problem that carries not only aesthetic consequences but also creates numerous health risks. One of the typical reasons for the growth of belly fat is high levels of cortisol. In addition, weight gain is often a symptom of diabetes or prediabetes.