Multidimensional Analysis: How Diet, Environment, Genetics, and Age Affect Weight

Dietary factors

Dietary factors are key to the development of obesity.

The root cause of obesity is that the calories consumed exceed the calories burned, which is consistent with the saying "illness enters through the mouth".

Therefore, no matter what you eat, as long as the total calories exceed your body's needs, you will gain weight.

But why do some people gain weight even though they don't eat much? This requires considering the proportion of different types of food in their diet. Consuming too much oil can promote the growth of adipose tissue, especially saturated fat.

Saturated fats mainly come from animal fats, and common edible vegetable oils also contain a large amount of saturated fatty acids. The "overheating" during cooking also causes the already limited amount of unsaturated fatty acids to oxidize into saturated fatty acids.

Excessive calorie intake is always associated with excessive fat intake, because fat carries calories much more efficiently than starch and protein of the same amount. Therefore, "eating little" does not mean "eating few calories".

In conclusion, improved living standards and dietary habits are important causes of obesity.

Environmental factors

Environmental factors mainly refer to people's social environment, lifestyle habits, and fashion.

The "beauty of plumpness" during the era of Yang Guifei naturally determined the lifestyle of people who pursued fashion.

The American lifestyle is more likely to cause weight gain. The "Coca-Cola-like" or "McDonald's-like" eating and living habits in the United States account for nearly 30% of the obesity rate.

If you drink sugary drinks and eat fast food during a meal, the calories you consume when you feel full will be much higher than if you eat a regular meal.

Therefore, the more "Americanized" one's lifestyle is, the higher the likelihood of gaining weight.

Similarly, intense social competition, high psychological pressure, anxiety, and so on are all changing people's lifestyles, but unfortunately, these changes tend to make people gain weight.

Genetic factors

Obesity is related to genetics, and so is thinness.

This genetic predisposition is more closely related to the mother. If the mother is obese, her child is 75% likely to be obese. Similarly, if the mother is thin, her child is also 75% likely to be thin.

People with a genetic predisposition to obesity or who are prone to obesity have a more efficient metabolism.

In other words, during times of famine, very little food was enough for these people to survive.

Genetically speaking, these people are more suited to living in times of famine. It can also be said that long-term food insufficiency has given them this genetic trait, which is the principle of "survival of the fittest." These people have the "frugal gene."

However, when these people become wealthy in a short period of time, not only are their food needs met, but they also consume far more calories than they need. At this point, this "thrifty gene" causes them to store as many excess calories as possible, making them more prone to obesity.

China's long history of poverty has instilled a "frugal gene" in most Chinese people. As a result, the rapid improvement in living standards over the past decade has made obesity and obesity-related diseases (such as hypertension, diabetes, and coronary heart disease) a major threat to people's health.

age

As we age, our metabolic rate decreases year by year. So, with the same diet and the same amount of exercise, after the age of 20, the metabolic rate will decrease year by year, and by the age of 40, we will gain weight.

Moreover, our physical activity level declines with age.

gender

Gender is a very important factor.

Men have a higher metabolic rate at rest than women, so men need more calories to maintain their weight.

In addition, the metabolic rate of middle-aged women also decreases significantly after menopause, so women begin to gain weight significantly after menopause. Moreover, there are differences in eating habits, food intake and exercise levels between men and women, so gender is also an important factor in determining obesity.

exercise volume

People who exercise a lot burn more calories and are less likely to gain weight.

However, some people engage in high-intensity physical activity only intermittently, perhaps only a few hours a week or even a month. The result is not weight control, but increased appetite.

Therefore, regular exercise is necessary to achieve good results.

weight

Overweight people need more calories to maintain their weight than underweight people.

For example, a person weighing 90 kg needs 2500 kcal per day to maintain their weight. If they consume less than 2500 kcal per day, their weight will decrease. When their weight drops to 80 kg, they only need 2000 kcal per day to maintain their weight. If they are still given 2500 kcal per day, their weight will return to 90 kg.

Obese people should avoid eating the following foods

① Pure sugar foods, fruit candies, chocolates, etc.

High-sugar, high-fat, and fried foods, and cream cakes.

All kinds of alcohol contain different components of alcohol. Alcohol is a pure energy food, and long-term drinking can easily lead to obesity.

Limit your intake of pure starchy foods, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, vermicelli, and jelly.

Drink plenty of water. Drinking tea (preferably oolong or pu-erh) is beneficial for weight loss, but the tea should not be too strong. In summer, you can eat watermelon and tomatoes. Drink less or no coffee.

Several weight loss foods

Chrysanthemum greens can help you lose weight. Chrysanthemum greens are also known as garland chrysanthemum or chrysanthemum vegetable.

Chrysanthemum greens contain a variety of amino acids and minerals, and have high nutritional value. Every 100 grams of chrysanthemum greens contains 1.9 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of carbohydrates, 65 milligrams of calcium, 24 milligrams of phosphorus, 2.1 grams of iron, 0.03 milligrams of vitamin B1, 2 milligrams of vitamin C, 0.4 milligrams of nicotinic acid, and 2.0 milligrams of carotene.

It also contains asparagine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, glutamic acid, alanine, threonine, serine and other components.

Chrysanthemum greens can also promote metabolism and reduce fat accumulation, thus having a certain weight loss effect.

You may not have realized that potatoes can help with weight loss; potatoes, which are readily available around you, are an effective weight-loss food.

Potatoes contain only 1% fat.

Experts have found that eating more potatoes every day can reduce fat intake and help metabolize excess fat.

Soybeans are widely regarded as a top source of high-quality protein.

In fact, potatoes are richer in protein than soybeans in terms of both nutritional value and health benefits.

It contains carbohydrates, vitamin B, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Compared to apples, which are highly nutritious, 500 grams of potatoes have the same nutritional value as 1750 grams of apples.

Potatoes not only provide the body with essential nutrients, but their high fiber content can also fill your stomach and suppress your strong appetite.

Some experts suggest adding a potato dish to your daily menu.

Eating bananas can help with weight loss. The dietary fiber in bananas can stimulate stomach peristalsis and facilitate smooth bowel movements.

Nutritionists point out that if you eat nothing but bananas dipped in honey, the calories are much lower than a regular meal, so you will naturally lose weight.

However, such rapid weight loss does not allow the body to adjust properly. If there is a long-term lack of protein, minerals, and other essential nutrients, your mental state will deteriorate, your immunity will decrease, and your body will send out dangerous warning signals, which is worth being careful about.