People whose fat is concentrated mostly in the abdomen are more likely to develop many of the health problems associated with obesity. Doctors have developed a simple way to measure whether someone is an apple or a pear. Divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement. They are at increased health risk because of their fat distribution. What causes this imbalance between consuming and burning calories is unclear.
Evidence suggests that obesity often has more than one cause.
Genetic, environmental, psychological, and other factors all may play a part. Genetic Factors Obesity tends to run in families, suggesting that it may have a genetic cause. However, family members share not only genes but also diet and lifestyle habits that may contribute to obesity. Separating these lifestyle factors from genetic ones is often difficult. Still, growing evidence points to heredity as a strong determining factor of obesity.