If you struggle with obesity, then chances are that other people in your family face the same concerns. It’s obvious that obesity tends to run in families. What isn’t so obvious, however, is whether this occurs because of genetics or lifestyle choices.
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The Genetics Behind Obesity
Some people gain weight more easily others. That’s a fact of life that you can blame on your genetics. This is one of the reasons that obesity runs in families. If you have inherited genes that make your father overweight, then you are going to have the same issue. Just like some families tend to have tall or short people, genetics can influence whether members of your family are large or skinny.
Lifestyle Choices and Obesity
Don’t think that you can blame your weight problems on genetics alone. Many times, obesity runs in families because of learned behaviors. If your parents are sedentary people that rarely get any exercise, then you could easily learn that behavior from them. When you grow up, chances are that you will model that behavior. The same goes for families that eat high-fat, high-calorie foods. If you grew up watching mom eat a giant piece of cake with a glass of whole milk every night, then that’s what seems normal to you.
There isn’t much that you can do about genetics, but you can make lifestyle changes. Before you start making significant changes in your lifestyle habits, though, you should note that these changes aren’t easy. You will have to reprogram your idea of normalcy to reap the rewards of good health. That takes a lot of time and effort.
