Today society is full of trends and fads and everyone tries to fit in. Those who don't fit in are often rejected and criticized. One such group is the overweight, they are often judged and looked down upon, but few people understand the different reasons people can be overweight. There are many different causes of obesity, and they can be more complicated than most people think.
One of the main reasons for obesity is heredity and genetics. Obesity is shown to be hereditary to some extent by families in which all members are commonly overweight or obese. If two overweight people have a child, chances are very high that their child will also be overweight. Further evidence exists for this cause in adopted families. Children who are adopted are closer to the weight of their biological parents than their foster parents even though they share lifestyle and eating habits with their foster family. While there is no known "fat gene", and finding one may prove to be difficult, there is substantial evidence to support the belief that heredity and genetics do play a role in deciding whether or not a person is overweight.
A person's lifestyle and surroundings also play a major part in being overweight. Although someone can be genetically predisposed to becoming overweight, that does not mean it can not be overcome. A person's diet and frequency of exercise directly affect that person's weight. People who exercise little or not at all are more commonly overweight than people who exercise with some regularity. Also people who eat high fat or generally non nutritious foods are more commonly overweight than those who eat a balanced diet. Someone who has a busy lifestyle and doesn't have time to cook will often be overweight because of eating out and consuming food with poor nutrition. Also, because of their busy schedule they will most like not find time for exercise. Unfortunately most of America falls into the little exercise and poor diet category.