Why are we getting fat? Reason for weight gain

Your body has smart systems to know how much to eat. But it cannot cope with constant overeating. In light of the growing obesity epidemic, it is important to understand what exactly makes us gain weight. The number of obese people has more than doubled since 1980, and in 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight, according to the World Health Organization.

The recommended daily calorie intake for an average adult is about 2000 kcal for women and 2500 kcal for men, while the fat intake is in the range of 70-90 grams. This amount of calories allows the body to function at maximum efficiency. However, if we consume more food than we need, the body stores the extra calories as fat. If we are undernourished, fat reserves are used as reserves. However, constant overeating leads to overweight and obesity, as the body continues to accumulate calories it no longer needs. In order to know how much food it needs, the human body needs to estimate the amount of energy available in its reserves.

Leptin, also known as the fat hormone, acts as a fuel sensor. Consisting of fat cells, it signals the brain about the amount of fat reserves and the rate of their growth (to increase the supply of fuel or to deplete reserves). Food intake is regulated by a small area of ​​the brain called the hypothalamus. When fat stores are depleted, leptin levels drop and the hypothalamus stimulates appetite to increase food intake and replenish lost energy stores. When leptin levels are high, appetite is suppressed, reducing food intake and stimulating the body to burn extra energy.

It was originally thought that leptin, being an important regulator of food intake, could be used as a treatment for obesity. However, appetite is determined by many factors, from the fullness of the stomach to the emotional state and personal preferences of the individual. In this regard, a person can easily ignore the signals given by leptin and continue to gain weight even with sufficient fat reserves.