The Psychological, Biological, and Cultural Causes of Obesity - Essay Example

Psychological factors are a widespread cause of obesity. Many people indulge in food when they are depressed, anxious, or emotionally distressed. In several instances, some individuals are not even aware of their emotions and simply indulge in food instinctively (Blackburn & Kanders, 1994). Besides depression and anxiety, other causal factors for obesity involve abnormal eating patterns like night eating, excessive eating, repeated consumption of high calories food, and ‘mindless eating’ (Ogden, 2011).   

On the other hand, genetic composition makes particular individuals more at risk of obesity, especially when they consume greater amounts of calories than what their bodies require. Those who do not have this genetic tendency can consume the same quantity of food and may gain weight but do not turn into obesity (Hockenbury & Hockenbury, 2013). Hence, obesity became a leading attribute of several uncommon genetic disorders that usually develop early in life. Cushing’s disorder, for instance, is a syndrome wherein the body has too much stress hormone. Studies have discovered that in certain people correlations between an excessive amount of stress hormone and growth hormone aggravate resistance to insulin which can lead to type 2 diabetes (Blackburn & Kanders, 1994). It appears that insulin resistance is caused by excessive glucose. The excessive amount of insulin and glucose in the body causes a breakdown in energy levels, resulting in the accumulation of glucose in the body. All these sugars are stuck in the body and become fat (Ogden, 2011).

Another biological component that can contribute to obesity is Leptin. Leptin is a hormone generated by fat cells and informs the brain about an individual’s level of hunger and saturation. Several scientists believe that Leptin could also be discharged by cells in the stomach (Ogden, 2011). This hormone seems to significantly contribute to the accumulation of fat and resistance to insulin, but its influence on obesity is not yet fully established. The most probable explanation is that the amount of Leptin increases as the cells accumulate higher amounts of fat. The rise in the amount of Leptin reduces a person’s desire for food. A decrease in the quantity of Leptin increases a person’s hunger (Ogden, 2011). Nevertheless, in individuals who have naturally low amounts of Leptin in the body, the brain may be deceived into feeling that it is constantly hungry since there is a low amount of Leptin to reduce the need to eat. This may cause obesity. A metabolic disorder can also cause obesity. The metabolic disorder is described as a group of infirmities such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels (Blackburn & Kanders, 1994).   

Enriched, processed, and fast food is very common and popular nowadays. These kinds of food are quite appealing for parents with hectic schedules and quite convenient for those who are too exhausted to cook for themselves. The prevalence of obesity seems to differ based on social and cultural aspects (Ogden, 2011). Such aspects involve cultural components, social roles, and socioeconomic status. Many cultures prepare foods that have high amounts of fats, especially during special occasions. Poor communities often consume foods containing high amounts of starch because they are cheap (Hockenbury & Hockenbury, 2013). Furthermore, how different cultures perceive self-worth, body image, food preferences, physical exercise, and health can be quite varied (Ogden, 2011). This can definitely have an impact on the way obesity is perceived.     

Basically speaking, obesity arises when the intake of energy from food is higher than the energy consumption through physical exercise and metabolism over a long duration of time, leading to the buildup of too much body fat. Still, there are numerous multifaceted societal and behavioral components that come together to influence the development of obesity.