Description
Obesity results from a complex interplay of biologic, environmental, genetic, and psychosocial factors that influence appetite, satiety, and food storage in the form of body fat. At a fundamental level, obesity results from a sustained positive energy balance; that is, consuming more energy than one expends over an extended period of time. Weight gain results from excess caloric intake, and weight loss results from greater caloric expenditure than intake. Thus, excessive caloric intake and insufficient physical activity are the primary contributors to obesity.
Biologic Influences
Research has demonstrated that energy balance is highly influenced by a complex biological system. This system balances the amount of fat in the body, partially by regulating the unconscious drive to eat (Friedman, 2009). This drive to eat is adaptive in times of food scarcity but has become problematic given the relative abundance of high-calorie foods and limited physical activity participation...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References and Readings
Bean, M. K., Stewart, K., & Olbrisch, M. E. (2008). Obesity in America: Implications for clinical and health psychologists. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 15, 214–224.
Bray, G. A. (2004). Medical consequences of obesity. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 89, 2583–2589.
Friedman, J. M. (2009). Causes and control of excess body fat. Nature, 459, 340–342.
Kral, J. G., Biron, S., Simard, S., Hould, F. S., Lebel, S., Marceau, S., et al. (2006). Large maternal weight loss from obesity surgery prevents transmission of obesity to children who were followed for 2 to 18 years. Pediatrics, 118, 1644–649.
Kumanyika, S. K., Obarzanek, E., Stettler, N., Bell, R., Field, A., Fortmann, F. A., et al. (2008). Population-based prevention of obesity: The need for comprehensive promotion of healthful eating, physical activity, and energy balance. A scientific statement from American Heart Association Council on epidemiology and prevention, interdisciplinary committee for prevention. Circulation, 18, 428–464.
Olshansky, S. J., Passaro, D. J., Hershow, R. C., Layden, J., Carnes, B. A., Brody, J., et al. (2005). A potential decline in life expectancy in the United States in the 21st century. New England Journal of Medicine, 352, 1138–1145.
Powell, L. M., Auld, M. C., Chaloupka, F. J., O’Malley, P. M., & Johnston, L. D. (2007). Association between access to food stores and adolescent body mass index. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 33(4S), S301–307.
Prospective Studies Collaboration. (2009). Body-mass index and cause-specific mortality in 900,000 adults: Collaborative analyses of 57 prospective studies. The Lancet, 373, 1083–1096.
Sallis, J. F., & Glanz, K. (2009). Physical activity and food environments: Solutions to the obesity epidemic. Millbank Quarterly, 87, 123–154.
Stewart, S. T., Cutler, D. M., & Rosen, A. B. (2009). Forecasting the effects of obesity and smoking on US life expectancy. New England Journal of Medicine, 361(23), 2252–2260.
Swinburn, B., Egger, G., & Raza, F. (1999). Dissecting obesogenic environments: The development and application of a framework for identifying and prioritizing environmental interventions for obesity. Preventative Medicine, 29, 563–570.
Walley, A. J., Asher, J. E., & Froguel, P. (2009). The genetic contribution to non-syndromic human obesity. Nature Reviews Genetics, 10, 431–442.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media, New York
About this entry
Cite this entry
Jensen, C.D., Sato, A.F., Jelalian, E. (2013). Obesity: Causes and Consequences. In: Gellman, M.D., Turner, J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_767
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_767
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-1004-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-1005-9
eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine