With the obesity rate in the United States approaching 30 percent as of 2009, it can be all too easy to pass judgment on the average overweight person. With access to healthy foods and physical activity, it seems as though anyone could lose the weight if the desire and effort were there. However, weight gain can be the result of complicated health issues that act as barriers to weight loss. Even when you're active, medical barriers can prevent you from losing weight.
Physical Limitations
When you suffer from certain physical limitations that make it painful or even impossible to exercise in a traditional way, it can be difficult to lose weight. Consider someone who suffers from a debilitating injury that results in a lack of function in the back or legs. Someone who is blind may also have a difficult time exercising. Still, you can find ways to work around those physical limitations to stay active, whether it's using an aid or exercising with a physical therapist. Discuss your physical limitations with your doctor, and solicit suggestions on ways to lose weight and exercise despite them.
Age
While not necessarily a medical condition, with advanced age come certain contraindications to exercise that make it difficult to lose weight. As you age, you lose muscle mass, which makes it difficult to participate in certain activities and maintain a high metabolism. The slowdown in metabolism, when added to your regular habits, can stall weight loss. You may also experience a variety of age-related physical limitations and illnesses that stop you from living an active lifestyle and thus from losing weight.
Mental Disorders
Losing weight can often be a mind game. When it comes to disorders like depression, weight gain can create a chicken-and-egg scenario. Weight gain often goes hand-in-hand with depression, and the lingering effects of depression can make you feel fatigued and lack the energy to exercise. Depression can also cause you to binge --- when you turn to food for comfort. A study published in 2008 in the journal "Obesity" found that women who struggled with postpartum depression after having a baby had a more difficult time losing their baby weight. If you suspect you have depression, talk to your doctor about treatment options.
Hormonal Issues
Women specifically can suffer from hormonal fluctuations that make losing weight difficult. During puberty, pregnancy and menopause, fluctuating hormones can cause the body to store fat in the belly, hips and thighs. What's more, your changing body during these hormonal changes may further cause difficulty when attempting to lose weight. During puberty and pregnancy, your hormones will eventually stabilize and make it easier for you to lose weight. Menopause may require hormone replacement therapy to overcome these barriers to weight loss, MayoClinic.com notes.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; U.S. Obesity Trends; March 3, 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Barriers to Fitness: Overcoming Common Challengers; Feb. 19, 2011
- "Obesity"; Association of Postpartum Depression With Weight Retention 1 Year After Childbirth; Sharon J. Herring, et al.; March 2008
- National Institute of Mental Health: Depression
- MayoClinic.com; Menopause Weight Gain: Stop the Middle-Aged Spread; Sept. 11, 2010
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