According to statistics, 20% of people in Turkey struggle with obesity, and estimates say that two out of three people in the world will have obesity problems in the near future. So, obesity is an imminent and rising concern for people across the globe, but what are the causes and factors of this health condition, which is listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most important health problems of the 21st century?
Obesity is defined as increased abnormal fat accumulation that endangers human health in the short and long term. Many factors such as malnutrition and inactivity, metabolic differences and genetic characteristics play a role in the development of obesity.
“The other important factor that is overlooked is that the changes in our behavior caused by environmental factors can be a driving force for obesity,” Ezgi Hazal Çelik, Nutrition and Diet Specialist at Acıbadem Bakırköy Hospital, said.
“Studies show that people with obesity problems are more exposed to environments that trigger malnutrition and decrease their physical activity levels, compared to normal-weight individuals. Certain environmental conditions increase the consumption of empty calories, that is, foods with low nutritional value and high-calorie content, and lead to inactivity," she said.
"As a result, obesity may develop due to low energy use despite high energy intake. For this reason, environmental change should be added to changeable risk factors such as changing nutritional habits and increasing the level of physical activity.” So, which environmental factors affect weight gain? Çelik talked about six environmental factors that increase the risk of obesity and made important suggestions and warnings.
Fast food, processed foods, packaged products and carbonated-sugar drinks are among the top negative factors that boost the weight gain process. “In today's conditions, it is quite easy to reach delicious foods like these products, which are high in energy density but have no nutritional value. In addition, the prices of such products are cheaper than many healthy foods. All these result in excessive consumption of these foods that cause weight gain,” said Çelik.
“Processed foods and fast food meals that are poor in nutrients, because they contain high fat, refined carbohydrates and preservatives, cause hunger in a short time, increasing the number of meals and calories consumed during the day. As a result, weight gain is inevitable. Therefore, you can include these products in a healthy eating plan, only if they are sporadic,” she added.
Due to the fact that eating has become a social occasion and that people can't find time to cook at home because of their busy work schedule, most eat out or order food from outside. However, according to statistics in the last 50 years, the portions, especially in fast food outlets, have increased up to five times.
“For customer satisfaction, larger portion sizes and flamboyant presentations can increase the number of calories consumed by triggering the behavior of continuing to eat despite the feeling of satiety,” Çelik warned and listed a few recommendations on the subject.
“Prefer small portions in the menus you eat out or order from. Avoid consuming sauce, potatoes and carbonated drinks like Coke on the menu. If you can't change the portions, eat healthy options such as salads, greens and ayran, along with lightly sauced, grilled or baked main dishes, and do not add any salt as long as possible."
With the advancement of technology, communication tools such as television, computers, tablets and phones have turned into tools through which we can access everything in terms of information, business and entertainment. For this reason, we can now spend long hours in front of screens.
On top of that, the pandemic has led us to exceed even the increased screen time we used to spend due to the transition to working from home and the distance education system. Çelik stated that this situation led to the habit of eating snacks in addition to inactivity.
“In order to prevent the risk of obesity, you can reduce screen usage time, and in cases where the time you spend in front of the screen increases due to work or education, get up every 30 minutes and do small exercises or stretching."
"If you want to consume something while working, watching movies or playing games, choosing healthy alternatives such as unsweetened herbal tea, unsweetened coffee, raw nuts or a portion of fresh fruit (that) will prevent the problem of getting hungry quickly and high-calorie intake after eating high-sugar and fatty foods.”
Even if you reduce your daily energy intake, not having a physically active life can increase your risk of gaining weight. The lack of walking areas, parks and areas where you can do physical activity in your environment, for this reason, plays a major role in obesity. Spending time on bicycle and walking paths or in parks, playgrounds and green areas helps to keep the body mass index at certain intervals.
In order to fight off inactivity, make a habit of taking a brisk walk for 30 to 45 minutes at least three or four days a week, in walking areas close to your home, in parks, and if appropriate, around the residential complex or apartment where you live. If there are no areas like this in your neighborhood, you can also benefit from online exercises to do at home.
The location of the food is also one of the important environmental factors that increase the risk of obesity. For example, when you are thirsty and go to the kitchen to drink a glass of water, you may notice the chocolate on the counter and find yourself eating chocolate out of nowhere.
“Of course this isn't the case for everyone, but we prefer products mostly because of where they're located. That's why it's very important to put the healthiest option in an easily accessible spot," said Çelik.
She added that one should remove refined sugar and high-fat foods that cause weight gain when consumed frequently, from your shopping list, and if this is not possible, avoid placing them in areas one can easily reach and where one will be constantly exposed, in order to better manage one's weight control.
Advertisements about sugary cereals, drinks and sugar, in general, appear not only on television but in every aspect of our daily lives. In addition to foods that are low in fiber and vitamins, high in fat, sugar and salt, and foods with high animal fat content have started to gain more and more of a foothold in our lives thanks to effective advertisements.
Making more conscious food choices, including these foods less frequently and in certain amounts in a healthy eating plan are important steps for weight control.
