Some countries are more obese than others. For example, around 4.5% of the adult population in Japan belongs to this category, while in the US the figure is roughly 40%.
However, the global trend is clear — obesity more than tripled between 1975 and 2022, and it is estimated that one billion of us are struggling with it, including 880 million grown-ups and 159 million children and adolescents.
To learn how people might end up there, Reddit user 90s-Hercules made a post on the platform, asking those who have gained a significant amount of weight to share the thing they blame for it the most.
#1
Menopause.
Unthunkable: I put on 2stone in less than 6 months. No real changes to diet or activity levels, and then couldn’t lose the weight despite calorie control (1200 a day) and additional exercise. Had a few other symptoms which point towards peri which all occurred at the same time. No HRT yet, though I have begun discussing with my doctor.
Image source: Willing_Ad5005, Tima Miroshnichenko
#2
An addiction to sweet and salty snacks. I run 100+ miles a month, sometimes 150+, but there is no outrunning 500-1000/day calorie surpluses caused by sugar and potato chip binges. I’ve gained 25-30 lbs in just a couple of years. :(.
Image source: heresmytwopence, Getty Images
#3
Eating disorder. Binge eating disorder that went untreated because it’s not treated by the NHS and I couldn’t afford to go private. In the end I battled it alone and I’m winning. Now my lowest weight for 20 years.
Image source: Comfort_Not_Speed_50, Tim Samuel
#4
Being in a relationship.. relationship weight gain is very real Lol I gained 20 pounds 😅 & then my Ex had abs when we first started dating and then gained weight too😭 It was honestly happy weight gain though.
Image source: bananakitty69, cottonbro studio
#5
Going blind. Lost most of my central vision a few years ago. The loss of independence is soul-crushing. My ex-wife trying to take my kids away two months later made it exponentially worse. I turned into a person who eats and drinks his feelings real quick.
Image source: iiooiooi, Natalia Blauth
#6
Mom got into a car accident, wasn’t at fault. Had to break away my life during my prime and take care of her full time and move back home with no other family to assist. We tried care facilities but gave her severe mistreatment, to the point lawyers got involved.
Got depressed from having to spend all my time working from home with full time care (bathing, toilet, food, paying for aids when out of town, etc) and keeping up with medical expenses. It’s mixed feelings, I clearly cared about her, but it was excruciating trying to think about dating or do anything having to explain why you still live with a parent and can’t give them my all. She ended up passing away after 3 years from the injuries and infections from the care facilities that persisted. Won the court case, but not until she died. In a better place, but the stress from all that definitely made me gain weight.
Image source: GSxHidden, Mizuno K
#7
The month my thyroid stopped working….I gained 30 lbs in 30 days. The doctor was like “ummm…I think we know why your hair is falling out and you have been depressed”.
Image source: No-Fishing5325, Mike Santos
#8
Working night shift. I lost access to decent food, and was pretty sedentary for a couple of years. It was pretty destructive.
Image source: WhiskeyAM_CoffeePM, Getty Images
#9
Entering into a relationship with a fantastic cook.
Image source: gigglesmcsdinosaur, ANTONI SHKRABA production
#10
Getting a car. I used to walk/cycle everywhere and had no trouble keeping the weight off. Once you’ve got a car though it’s difficult to give up.
Image source: Fun-Calligrapher2363, Spencer Davis
#11
Eating stuff at night when I had a bad day.
But at least I am still alive.
Image source: RandomOnlinePerson99, Chander Mohan
#12
Underestimating liquid calories and fiber.
Image source: SpecialLoud7168, Engin Akyurt
#13
Having a baby and breastfeeding. So many people told me “oh you’ll lose weight if you breastfeed.” NOT true for me. It made me hungrier and on top of not sleeping well, made me gain weight.
Image source: linaspoon, Polina Tankilevitch
#14
Fired… I when I was fired I got depressed… it was really hard time, so I gained a lot of weight… around 30kgs… 2 years ago, I couldn’t recognize myself, so I decided to take care of it…
Start a diet, gym… cardio… I’m a 🐌🐌 but since then, I put down 17kgs, and I still have to down more 20kgs.
Image source: Hot_Fondant1823, ANTONI SHKRABA production
#15
Quitting smoking. It wasn’t just from eating more. It was from sudden lack of the stimulant nicotine. My metabolism slowed down. Another reason not to start smoking at all.
Image source: Distinct-Car-9124, Ilkin Safterov
#16
Nothing to look forward to. Nothing like 15 years of work and childcare with very little in the way of excitement (although I adore the kids obvs).
Nothing to diet for. Nobody to diet for. No big event coming my way.
Not a self pity trip at all, Iamcheerful every day. It’s true though.
Image source: Automatic_Role6120, Tomé Louro
#17
Birth control pill.
Different_Cow273: Literally same here, I was looking for specifically the pill. Gained almost a hundred pounds, stopped taking it and lost it so quickly it’s insane.
Image source: Legitimate-Pie-5218, Natalia Blauth
#18
Wine. Fkng wine! It’s a slippery slope.
You see one glass as 150 calories and it’s like “meh that ain’t bad” B*tch?! Two bottles later and dancing on the kitchen island and then a few months later it’s all 30 lbs and me looking in the mirror asking “whot have I become..” 🥴
Image source: adrenalizeme6, Michelle Leman
#19
Ironically my parents getting worried I was getting chunky as a kid and trying to make me lose weight.
Image source: artemisdeathkiss, cottonbro studio
#20
I tore a hamstring on a long run and had to shut it down for over a year.
Image source: StevenSanders90210, Ketut Subiyanto
#21
Pregnancy was the first one. Went from 160 lbs to about 180 lbs. Never really lost the weight.
Depression was next. Went from 180 lbs to 230 lbs in a year wayyyy back because I spent all my time in bed, drinking pepsi, with reddit in my face on my laptop. I was in a really bad way.
Got back down to 190 with the help of folks in r/loseit. Met a guy, married him. Years later was back around 200 lbs but whatever, I’ve always been chunky.
Then I got a hysterectomy and it broke me. After the hysterectomy I was diagnosed with hypertension, became prediabetic, and shot up to 240 lbs.
Been fighting that 240 for maybe two years now. Currently sitting at 225 thanks to my job which is fairly active. Still battling the setbacks from the hypertension and prediabetes.
Image source: MaMaJillianLeanna, Kaboompics.com
#22
Contraceptive injection, gained 3st over 2yrs and lost most of it again afterwards.
Also being lazier and age. I’m trying to resolve this but the age just means all weight is now on my stomach. Oh well! .
Image source: RangeLongjumping412, Andrej Lišakov
#23
Stress.
back_to_the_homeland: This. I had a job pushing me at 100 hours a week. Like an actual 100 hours a week not like “Omg I worked like 100 hours this week!” 8am-1am daily. When I finally quit I had depression and lived on a diet of beer, pizza, and watching parks and rec, but I was free. I lost 40 lbs in a little over a month.
Image source: Dull_Stable2610, Yan Krukau
#24
Going to college and having to eat food prepared by Sodexo for 4 years. Whenever I would go home on breaks, there was like a 2 day adjustment period for my stomach going back to real food, and same when I would go back to school. When I graduated, I lost about 50lbs.
#25
Switching back from Coke Zero to regular coke due to the potential cancer risk of sweeteners.
Image source: Karla_ray, Edward Eyer
#26
Unhappy relationship and no self-confidence, I thought nobody cared how I looked and started eating unhealthy comfort food.
Image source: iIovefictionalmen, Alex Green
#27
Antidepressants.
ksuggs821: Yep, made me gain 50 pounds in a year. Stopped gaining the day I came off of them. Now I’m having trouble losing it. My mom loves reminding me how much I’ve gained and that I better lose it.
Image source: Wise-Leopard-9589, Towfiqu barbhuiya
#28
Stress. Working in an environment that was very limited in opportunities to work out and an environment that was too cold to go outside. Also a lot of processed foods.
Image source: kejiangmin, Edward Jenner
#29
Sleep apnea. Just could not lose weight. Depressed. No energy. I was eating ok and working out some, but the weight kept climbing until I got to 295 (I
I usually run 200-220 when I’m in shape). Decided I’d be damned if it was going to hit 300. Knew I snored, so finally went in for a sleep study. Sure enough, extremely severe sleep apnea. I was basically almost waking every 2-5 minutes and getting maybe 30 minutes of mediocre rest for every 8 hours I was “sleeping”. Doctor estimated that I probably hadn’t really restfully slept in probably 5 years, maybe longer, and he was frankly amazed I was as functional as I was. Got a CPAP, and holy s**t it was amazing. My first night with the machine was only 4 hours, but I got more rest out of those 4 hours than I’d had in years. Since then I’m down 55 lbs overall while putting 15 lbs of muscle back on. I can actually focus on tasks again, no more depression, and everything is just back to being how it should be. If you snore, get a sleep study. It seriously changed my life.
Image source: THEREALCABEZAGRANDE, cottonbro studio
#30
Lockdown, boredom, and an uncharacteristic lack of discipline.
Edit: Yes, it was 5 years ago. I put on about 35 pounds. I have since lost it and am in better shape than ever. Stfu.
Image source: Gubble_Buppie, cottonbro studio
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