Individual factors that lead to weight gain

• Eating behaviors. For example: regularly eating too large portions, eating a diet that frequently includes foods high in fat, salt or sugar, eating irregular meals, which encourages food compulsions. These behaviors are sometimes influenced by emotional states. This is the case if one eats to escape boredom, loneliness, stress, anxiety, etc., or if food becomes a means of rewarding oneself;
• A sedentary lifestyle. Sedentary work and leisure (television, video games, the Internet, etc.) have become the norm. Study in England found that in the early 1990s, only 20% of men and 10% of women had a job requiring physical activity¹⁴ ;
• The stress. Weight gain often occurs during a period of adjustment or following a major ordeal, for example major professional challenges or job loss, separation, bereavement, etc. The tendency to compensate by eating comfort foods is then stronger;
• Deep distress. Eating compulsions may reflect temporary boredom, but sometimes they are a sign of great psychological distress. Eating then becomes a survival mechanism, to alleviate unbearable suffering and a state of being;
• The family cultural heritage. Lifestyle habits – preparing and sharing meals, activities – are influenced by the family;
• Le lack of sleep can increase hunger;
• benefits pharmaceuticals can cause weight gain when taken for a long time, including certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, corticosteroids (by mouth or by injection) and beta blockers;
• Drinking alcohol frequently can lead to weight gain by increasing calorie intake and stimulating hunger (hence alcoholic drinks served as an aperitif, to whet the appetite).

Factors and social changes that contribute to weight gain

• A food industry which offers a multitude of foods high in calories, fat, salt and sugar. These foods are easily accessible, at any time of the day and at low cost. The colossal sums invested to promote “junk” foods to the public are also singled out;
• On television, the majority of ads of children’s food products promote questionable or downright unhealthy foods. Studies show that advertisements greatly influence children’s dietary preferences, according to US Institute of Medicine of the National Academies³⁸ ;
• Advertisements, as well as media, which encourage thinness;
• Due to the difficult work-family balance, many parents are increasingly resorting to prepared dishes or from restaurants. Meals are eaten less with the family. As a result, parents have less control over what their children eat and education for healthy eating is compromised;
• More frequent visits to restaurants ;
• La portion size ever increasing in restaurants and in the supermarket;
• THEwork automation and technological change, which make physical activity less and less necessary on a daily basis. Not only is the work sedentary, many workers frequently experience psychological pressure and stress;
• Un urban planning that does not promote walking and physical activity;
• The loss of the feeling of Products in neighborhoods, resulting in children playing less outdoors, using little walking or cycling to get to school, etc.