Basically, weight gain is the result of an imbalance between energy consumption and energy expenditure. This balance is partly regulated by our genetics, our environment, and psychosocial factors. One, or many of these factors, has gotten members of our society to consume more than we expend, or to expend less than we consume. At the same time we have noticed that \u201cspare tire\u201d gathering around our waists.<\/p>\n
When we examine the trend in our global population gaining weight, we observe for example, that in western countries, \u00a0individuals are gaining at an average of half a kilogram per\u00a0year. This equals approximately 10-15 kilocalories a day of unexpended energy.<\/p>\n
As many people have a positive energy balance and storing energy actually expends energy, researchers have suggested that a one hundred-kilocalorie decrease in daily energy intake OR a one hundred-kilocalorie\u00a0increase in energy expenditure will prevent weight gain in almost anyone<\/strong><\/em>. Quickly calculated, this means that you should eat only one large banana less per day or walk for and additional half an hour per day in order to keep your weight\u00a0in check.<\/p>\n Although energy balance looks like child\u2019s play on paper, our current societal structure has made losing weight difficult. Traditionally fast-food chains, larger portion sizes, fat, sugar, additives and less physical activity can be blamed for weight gain. Euro\/Dollar cheeseburgers take a huge bite out of television advertisements and our untouched\u00a0running shoes weigh heavily on our conscience.<\/p>\n A few more facts:<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 67% of Finnish people blame weight gain on lack of physical activity\/exercise<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 38% of Finnish people and 75% of Americans blame fast-food for weight gain<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One in five Finns and up to 70% of Russians blame genetics for weight gain<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 48% of Finns believe that too much focus is put on weight, but 83% have tried to lose weight at least once<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Basically, weight gain is the result of an imbalance between energy consumption and energy expenditure. This balance is partly regulated by our genetics, our environment, and psychosocial factors. One, or many of these factors, has gotten members of our society to consume more than we expend, or to expend less than we consume. At the same time we have noticed…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":342,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,1,28,32,27],"tags":[39,36,38,44,43],"class_list":["post-125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-behaviorchange","category-health","category-inactivityphysiology","category-sedentarybehavior","category-weightmanagement","tag-fitness","tag-inactivity","tag-physical-activity","tag-society","tag-solutions"],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n