Dr. Parag Chandak, MBBS, MD, DNB Medicine, is one of the Best General Physician in Indore for obesity. With over 7 years of experience in managing diabetes, hypertension, thyroid, and heart diseases, he combines expert knowledge with compassionate care. Dr. Parag Chandak completed his MD from UCMS & GTB Hospital, Delhi, and holds a DNB in Internal Medicine from the National Board of Examinations.
In this article, Dr. Chandak explains how obesity and lifestyle are closely connected. Poor habits like unhealthy eating, lack of exercise, stress, and insufficient sleep can lead to weight gain and serious health problems. Understanding these factors early is essential to prevent complications such as heart disease, diabetes, and joint issues.
By making simple lifestyle changes, following a balanced diet, staying active, and managing stress, individuals can control their weight and improve overall health. Dr. Chandak emphasizes that combining medical guidance with healthy habits is key to long-term wellbeing.
What Is Obesity and Why Does It Happen?
Obesity is a condition where the body stores too much fat, and this extra fat begins to harm your health. It is not just about gaining weight — it is about how that weight affects your heart, breathing, energy, and daily activities. Many people develop obesity because their lifestyle habits slowly push the body toward weight gain.
Understanding obesity and lifestyle is very important because simple everyday choices what we eat, how much we move, how we sleep, and how we handle stress have a big impact on our weight. Medical conditions like thyroid disorders, hormonal imbalance, or genetic factors can also make weight gain easier.
Even small changes such as walking daily, drinking enough water, or choosing healthier meals can help prevent obesity and protect you from diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and heart problems.
Key Reasons Why Obesity Happens
- Overeating or unhealthy food choices like fast food, sweets, and fried snacks.
- Lack of physical activity and long hours of sitting.
- Poor sleep habits, which affect appetite and metabolism.
- Stress and emotional eating, which increase cravings.
- Hormonal or thyroid issues that slow the body’s metabolism.
- Family history or genetics that make weight gain easier.
- Age-related metabolism drop, where the body burns fewer calories.
- Sugary drinks and high-calorie beverages consumed regularly.
Common Causes of Obesity You Should Know
There are many reasons why people develop obesity. Some of the most common causes include Dr. Chandak, the Best General Physician in Indore for obesity, emphasizes that identifying the cause is the first step in managing weight effectively.
- Unhealthy Eating Habits: Eating fast food, sugary drinks, and fried foods frequently.
- Lack of Exercise: Sitting for long hours and not moving enough.
- Genetics: Family history can play a role in obesity.
- Medical Conditions: Thyroid problems, diabetes, or hormonal imbalance.
- Age and Metabolism: Slower metabolism as you grow older.
Obesity Myths and Facts: Separating Truth from Misconceptions
Many people believe myths about obesity that are not true. Understanding the facts helps prevent weight gain and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Consult the Best General Physician in Indore for obesity for guidance on managing obesity effectively.
- Myth: Only overweight people are unhealthy.
Fact: Even normal-weight people can have health risks if they have poor habits.
- Myth: Skipping meals helps you lose weight.
Fact: Skipping meals slows metabolism and may lead to more weight gain.
- Myth: Obesity is only about calories.
Fact: Stress, sleep, and hormones also affect weight.
How Poor Lifestyle Habits Lead to Weight Gain
Many people don’t realize how daily habits can affect their weight. Some habits that contribute to obesity and lifestyle problems include. Even small changes, like taking a walk or choosing healthier foods, can help prevent weight gain.
- Eating late at night or binge eating.
- Spending too much time on phones or TV instead of exercising.
- Ignoring sleep or sleeping too little.
- High-stress jobs or emotional eating.
The Role of Diet, Exercise, and Sleep in Obesity
A balanced lifestyle with healthy diet, regular exercise, and proper sleep is essential to manage obesity. Dr. Chandak explains that these simple habits can significantly reduce obesity and lifestyle related health risks over time.
- Diet: Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins provides essential nutrients and fiber. Limiting sugary drinks and fried foods helps control calorie intake and prevent obesity naturally.
- Exercise: Engaging in at least 30 minutes of daily activity, such as walking, yoga, or cycling, boosts metabolism, burns calories, strengthens muscles, and supports a healthy weight and overall wellbeing.
- Sleep: Getting 7–8 hours of quality sleep each night helps regulate hormones like leptin and ghrelin, which control hunger and appetite, reducing the risk of weight gain and obesity over time.
Early Warning Signs of Obesity You Shouldn’t Ignore
Stress and hormones influence obesity and lifestyle more than most people realize. When you feel stressed, your body releases cortisol, the stress hormone. High cortisol increases hunger, triggers cravings for unhealthy food, and pushes your body to store extra fat—especially around the belly.
Your thyroid also plays a big role. When the thyroid is underactive, metabolism slows down. This means your body burns calories very slowly, causing weight gain even if your eating habits haven’t changed.
Another important factor is insulin resistance. When your cells stop responding to insulin properly, your body turns excess sugar into fat, increasing weight and raising the risk of diabetes.
Additional Points
- Hormonal imbalance may affect sleep, mood, and energy, leading to emotional eating.
- Poor sleep increases stress hormones and slows metabolism.
- PCOS in women can also contribute to weight gain.
- Healthy lifestyle habits—good nutrition, exercise, and stress control—help manage hormone-related obesity.
- Consulting the Best General Physician in Indore for obesity can help you understand hormonal causes and get the right treatment plan.
Health Risks Associated with Obesity: Heart, Diabetes, and More
Obesity is connected to many serious health problems because extra body fat affects almost every organ. It can increase the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, joint pain, and even breathing issues. The good news is that these health risks can be reduced with small but consistent lifestyle changes. Eating healthier food, staying active, sleeping well, and managing stress all play an important role in protecting your body. When you understand the link between obesity and lifestyle, it becomes easier to make better choices and avoid long-term complications.
- Heart Disease: Extra weight puts stress on your heart.
- Diabetes: Obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Joint Pain: Extra weight strains bones and joints.
- High Blood Pressure: Obesity can raise blood pressure levels.
- Sleep Apnea: Breathing problems while sleeping.
The Mental and Emotional Impact of Obesity
Obesity affects not only your body but also your mind. Many people facing obesity struggle with emotions, stress, and confidence issues. Dr. Chandak explains that managing both physical and emotional health is very important when dealing with obesity and lifestyle challenges. When the mind is stressed or unhappy, it becomes harder to stay motivated, eat healthy, or follow a routine.
Common Emotional Effects of Obesity
- Low self-esteem and body image issues:
Many people start feeling uncomfortable about their appearance, which affects their confidence and daily interactions.
- Anxiety and depression:
Weight gain, health worries, and social pressure can lead to constant stress, sadness, or overthinking.
- Social withdrawal and reduced activity:
People may avoid social events, exercise, or outdoor activities because they feel embarrassed or judged.
Other Emotional Challenges Linked to Obesity
- Emotional eating, where stress or sadness leads to overeating
- Lack of motivation to stay active or follow a healthy routine
- Sleep problems, which further affect mood and energy
- Feeling isolated, especially if friends or family don’t understand the struggle
Understanding these emotional effects helps you take a balanced approach. With guidance from a doctor like Dr. Parag Chandak, support from family, and small lifestyle changes, managing obesity becomes easier and healthier for both body and mind.
How Stress and Hormones Affect Weight Gain
Stress and hormones have a powerful impact on how your body gains or loses weight. When you are stressed, your body releases cortisol, also called the “stress hormone.” High cortisol levels make you feel hungrier, increase cravings for sugary or oily foods, and push your body to store more fat—especially around the belly.
Another important factor is thyroid hormones. When the thyroid is underactive (hypothyroidism), your metabolism becomes slow. This means your body burns fewer calories, leading to weight gain even if you are not overeating.
Insulin resistance is another hormonal issue linked to weight gain. When your cells don’t respond properly to insulin, your body stores more sugar as fat, increasing the risk of diabetes.
Additional Points
- Hormonal imbalance can affect mood, sleep, and energy levels, which leads to emotional eating.
- Poor sleep increases stress hormones and slows metabolism.
- PCOS in women can also cause hormonal changes leading to weight gain.
- Balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management can help control hormone-related weight gain.
Natural Ways to Prevent and Manage Obesity
Dr. Chandak recommends the following natural steps:
- Eat home-cooked meals instead of fast food
- Stay active: walk, run, cycle, or do yoga daily
- Avoid sugary drinks and snacks
- Drink plenty of water
- Sleep well and reduce stress through meditation or hobbies
FAQs
1. Is obesity linked to hormonal imbalance?
Yes, obesity is closely linked to hormonal imbalance. Hormones like insulin, cortisol, estrogen, and thyroid hormones affect how your body stores fat, uses energy, and controls hunger. When these hormones fluctuate, it can lead to rapid weight gain. Understanding the connection between obesity and lifestyle habits helps prevent such imbalances. Consulting the Best General Physician in Indore for obesity can help identify hormone-related causes and guide proper treatment.
2. What are the long-term complications of untreated obesity?
Untreated obesity can lead to serious health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, joint pain, fatty liver, and even sleep apnea. Over time, it affects your mobility, energy levels, and quality of life. Managing obesity and lifestyle early helps prevent these complications. For safe and personalized care, the Best General Physician in Indore for obesity can guide you with the right medical and lifestyle approach.
3. Can obesity affect fertility?
Yes, obesity can affect fertility in both men and women. In women, it may cause hormonal imbalance, irregular periods, PCOS-like symptoms, and difficulty in ovulation. In men, it can reduce sperm quality and testosterone levels. Improving obesity and lifestyle habits supports healthier reproductive functions. For proper evaluation, consulting the Best General Physician in Indore for obesity is highly recommended.
4. How do hormones and stress contribute to obesity?
Stress increases cortisol, a hormone that triggers cravings and leads to fat storage, especially around the stomach. Hormonal issues like insulin resistance, thyroid problems, and estrogen imbalance can slow metabolism and cause weight gain. Improving obesity and lifestyle habits like sleep, diet, and exercise helps balance these hormones. The Best General Physician in Indore for obesity can assess underlying hormonal causes and provide effective treatment.
5. What is the difference between being overweight and being obese?
Being overweight means having more weight than what is healthy for your height, while obesity is a more serious condition where excess body fat can harm your health. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, heart issues, and hormonal imbalance. Understanding this difference helps you manage obesity and lifestyle effectively. If you’re unsure which category you fall into, the Best General Physician in Indore for obesity can guide you with accurate BMI evaluation and advice.