Dieting and exercising, but not losing weight? These health conditions are the culprits | aptitude

Aside from a structured weight loss plan, you need a good diet guide and a healthy body to lose weight. If you have struggled to reach your weight loss goals, it may be time to get checked for certain health conditions that may be failing your best efforts.

Obesity is a complex disease / condition that involves an excessive amount of fat in the body. This is not just an aesthetic concern. It increases the risk of diseases and health problems such as systemic heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. There are genetic causes and behavioral causes associated with obesity. Along with lifestyle, poor diet and inactivity, hormonal influences also lead to obesity.

Apart from that, certain medical conditions and certain medications lead to weight gain. One such cause is a reduced function of the thyroid glands, called hypothyroidism, which results in weight gain. Dr. Sheilja Singh, consultant in Internal Medicine at Hinduja Healthcare Surgical, Mumbai, said, "It's because the thyroid is a hormone associated with basic metabolic activity. When the thyroid is produced in the right proportion, we burn calories quickly. On the other hand, too little hormone slows the metabolism and often causes weight gain. "

PCOS is a hormonal disorder in which women have excess levels of androgens in the body.They develop irregular menstrual cycles." Hormonal disruption also affects metabolic activity. With other symptoms such as unusual hair growth and acne, women with PCOS tend to gain weight, especially on their abdomen, "says Dr. Vaishali Lokhande, an internal medicine consultant at Apollo Hospital Bombay.

PCOS is a hormonal disorder in which women have excess levels of androgens in the body.
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When a person gets little to zero physical activity, he / she ends up with musculoskeletal disorders. People with osteoarthritis or arthritis due to other conditions have difficulty in exercising and living largely sedentary lives. Dr. Singh says, "In addition, some medications given for these conditions contribute to obesity.These include steroids, antiepileptics, antipsychotics and several antidepressants.These all contribute to weight gain". they are not compensated by proper diet and exercise. "

Oral contraceptives increase estrogen levels in the body, which can also result in weight gain." L & # 39; High estrogen contributes to water retention and greater appetite, in addition to fat deposition. It is reversible if the pills are taken for a short time, "says Dr. Lokhande

. Lipodystrophy, associated with HIV treatment, is linked to unusual fatty deposits. "It's a condition where abnormal fat deposits form around the upper body, while fat loss occurs on the face," says Dr. Lokhande.

Common conditions like sleep deprivation or obstructive sleep apnea also cause weight gain and obesity. When a person sleeps less than six hours a night, two hormones called leptin and grelin come into play. Leptin, secreted by the brain, gives you satiety. While the grelin hormone is secreted by the stomach, causes cravings for food. "When we sleep less, leptin decreases, just as satiety.In addition, grelin increases, because of which the person experiences a frequent hunger.The choice of food in such cases tends to take a turn for the worse In this way, sleep deprivation leads to obesity due to the imbalance of these two hormones, "says Dr. Singh.

Obese and snoring people tend to have fragmented sleep. "Their oxygen level tends to drop because of the fragmented sleep that eventually also causes an imbalance of these hormones," says Dr. Singh.

Some medications used for migraine can lead to weight gain, especially in young women. "The results last as long as the drug continues but sometimes the effects may be permanent," adds Dr. Lokhande

The feeling of "fullness" or satiety is controlled by a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. From an early age, many Indian children are forced to overeat which, over time, affects the satiety center in the hypothalamus. "A severely impaired hypothalamus could lead to a disorder of hypothalamic obesity, which is when the body's metabolism focuses entirely on storing weight, leading to weight gain despite efforts to manage weight through changes. and hypothalamic disorders are sometimes associated with brain surgery, or hypothyroidism or acute insult to the brain, "says Dr. Lokhande.

If you have checked all of your health problems and have you still have trouble losing weight, here's what

All calories are not equal

"People who want to lose weight pay attention to the number of calories, but they do not think about where these calories are coming from. Because calories from eating nuts are better than consuming non-calorie soft drinks, "says Shilpi Mittal, nutritionist, 6 meals.