Unexpected Factors That May Make You Gain Weight

With overweight and obesity rising at alarming rates, more emphasis is going to be put on diet and exercise. Especially with children who over the last few years have spent more time on the computer and less time on the playground, obesity rates are rising dramatically. But as easy as it is merely say: just consume a better diet and exercise more; there are unfortunately a few more factors involved. In this article we would like to point out three factors that should be considered when losing weight.

1. The way junk foods are marketed. This marketing is targeted toward those that are probably the most vulnerable in our society. And companies that market these foods know exactly what they're doing. Studies have been done to tell marketers the kinds of tantrums most likely to push parents into giving what the child wants, and therefore marketing their product to end the tantrum. There was a time when kids were only exposed to junk food marketing on television, but now it is done on the Internet and in schools, and at times when these kids are the most hungry and vulnerable to this advertising.

In effect, peddling junk food, the foods that are known to cause obesity, has become the science against our health. And if some governmental body tries to come in and legislates against this, the lobbyists for these companies will go to work immediately on the legislators. It is definitely a problem that only education and willpower can overcome.

2. Artificial sweeteners that do much more harm than good. Artificially sweetened food was designed to decrease caloric intake, but with so many things that had initially good intentions this has backfired. According to studies the use of artificial sweeteners has risen in conjunction with the rise in obesity levels. There are a couple of reasons for this. One, these sweeteners in effect trick your body into thinking it is about to receive calories, and when they don't come your body begins craving carbohydrates. This of course leads to gobbling up unhealthy foods.

This stimulation of the appetite is further exasperated when people are caught off guard thinking as long as they are eating low-calorie sweeteners they have nothing to worry about. Studies have actually indicated that eating lesser amounts of regular sugar is a better way to go. But staying away from sugar entirely is our best option.

3. Antibiotic additives in our food. There is no doubt that antibiotics have been a hugely important development for humans. If you have a serious bacterial infection they can save your life, but they also have a downside. They are not only useless against certain viral infections, but they can wipe out much of the good bacteria in your gut that keeps you healthy.

In the United States alone nearly 30,000,000 pounds of antibiotics are used each year in the raising of animals for food. This effectively wards off diseases and promotes weight gain from these animals, but when we eat this food it can also do a lot of damage to our gut health. Research has revealed that states that have the highest levels of antibiotics use also have the highest rates of obesity.


Foods that make up the Mediterranean diet make for excellent meals, as can attest by the great dining found in the Mediterranean area. These new findings show that they are also great for heart health. Rich Carroll is a health enthusiast and writer living in Chicago.

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