In a world in which obesity is reaching epidemic proportions, it is becoming absolutely crucial that the science and health professionals take a serious look at the causes of obesity in order to bring a halt to the increasing numbers of morbidly obese individuals.

Health concerns about rising costs involving heart problems, diabetes, high blood pressure and other obesity related health issues are taking center stage in the medical field. As the medical arena focuses more and more on the rising numbers of obese and morbidly obese patients, the urgency with identifying the causes of obesity also increases.

As the number of obese Americans continues to rise, with roughly sixty percent of adults above their medically defined ideal weight and over 13 percent of children and young adults reaching the level of obesity, concerns for health care also rise. These statistics have nearly tripled since 1980, a number that is alarming to the government and health professionals.

In terms of medical demands alone, the medical costs for treatments for health related issues due to obesity are astronomical. Not to mention the unnecessary obesity related deaths that do not have to happen if the patients could lose 16% or more of their body weight through dietary changes. In an attempt to reduce the number of obese and morbidly obese people, defining the causes of obesity has become a focus of many different social and medical groups.

The most important cause of obesity was once the simple genetics of family heredity. Some people are just born with a natural tendency in their genetics to carry excess weight. This is something that has been studied with great intensity for many years but is not something that can currently be corrected or modified. However, it is not the cause of the obesity epidemic that is sweeping our nation.

Current realization is that the food habits, types of foods consumed and the total amount of food consumption done by an individual is a direct cause of obesity. While this seems to be a simple battle to win, trying to change a persons eating habits is a lot easier on paper than it is in real life.

It would seem that if a patient were told that the cause of their obesity is the food that they eat, it would seem easy for them to change the pattern. However, it isnt. Individuals establish their eating habits over many years, beginning in their childhood and continuing through adulthood, changing these habits is a very difficult thing to do. If that seems odd, consider smokers. It is a known fact that smoking kills and still millions of people smoke every day without regard to the final effect of their choice.

Obesity doesnt happen over night and as the body gets bigger, the eating habits that have been established are very difficult to break. Diet companies such as L.A. Weight loss, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and the many other different weight loss programs created, all work to educate and train overweight people about eating differently.

However, it is in implementing these new skills that bring about the weight loss changes and many individuals lack the will power to follow the programs. It just proves that even though someone may know the cause of their obesity, changing it takes more than just the knowledge and skills but also the structure and guidance to make those changes a reality.

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