Is your body weight your choice?

No matter whether you’re at a healthy weight, underweight or obese, your weight plays an important role in your life. Not only does it impact your physical health but your mental and social wellbeing.

But what factors control the way our weight contributes to our lives? If you’re at a stage in your life where you’d like to make a change, is it easier said than done?

There are a number of factors that contribute to our weight. These include:

• Genetics
• Your family dynamic
• Food choices
• Mindset.

Understanding the role that each of them plays in your life can help you gain or lose weight if you need to.

There is no denying that our genes have a role to play in who we are. They help make up the building blocks of human life. This means that they not only contribute to our hair and eye colour but our body weight too.

Gene mapping, the study of gene function, shows that they can impact our metabolism, how our body stores fat and our body shape.²

There are over 400 genes that play a part in weight regulation but some have more of a role to play than others when it comes to gaining weight.³

One particular gene which can influence obesity is the FTO gene. Variants of this gene inherited by our parents can increase our risk of weight gain and obesity. This means it is easier for you to gain weight if you have one of the FTO variants and don’t maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine.⁴

But it’s not the only factor that determines your weight. If you carry a variant FTO gene, it doesn’t mean you will automatically become obese. Other factors can impact your weight, such as your levels of stress, your environment and your social and cultural norms.^2,4

The environments we grow up in play important roles in how we feel about ourselves and the world around us.^4,5

When we are young, we rely on our parents or caregivers to survive. From our meals to the ways that we think about wellbeing to our ideas about body image. The messages that we receive from them, have, for many of us, influenced the ways we think and feel about our weight and our ability to change it.

If you had little say in what you were allowed to eat or weren’t encouraged to enjoy and participate in physical activity, your outlook might be different to someone with a different type of upbringing. This doesn’t mean that your values are fixed, but that our pasts help shape parts of who we are.⁵

Ultimately, the behaviours you learn from your family can make it easier or more difficult for you to break certain patterns and make a change to your weight if aim you to.⁵

Your weight can also be impacted by being surrounded by negative attitudes towards body image. We are constantly being fed information, online and in the media on what the ‘perfect’ body should look like. Any deviation from this figure can lead to low self-esteem and confidence issues. If these feelings are reinforced by your family, it can make it difficult to make a positive change.⁶

Our food choices and body weight are closely linked. If you prioritise a diet that is high in nutritional value and low in fat, sugar and salt, you are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.

But what does high nutritional value mean?

Our plate each mealtime should be primarily made up of vegetables, with about one quarter of your plate being made up of protein and another quarter made up of whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa or brown pasta. This will help our body to regulate blood sugar and reduce our risk of chronic illness, like heart disease.⁷

Eating well is good in theory, but with the cost of living continually rising, it can be difficult to eat well on a budget. In the UK, between 2013 and 2023, food prices increased by 20%. Food considered to be healthier also saw a greater increase than unhealthy food.⁸

There has been a lot of discussion in the scientific field about the role of exercise in weight loss, and your physical and mental health.

It is generally agreed that exercise for weight loss works best when paired with a healthy diet. This is because exercise improves your metabolism – how well your body converts food and drink to energy. If you have a fast metabolism, your body is more efficient at processing food, meaning it is less likely to store excess fat.¹⁰

That is not to say that exercise alone has zero impact on your weight. There have been observations that show some degree of weight loss in groups who only use exercise to manage their weight.¹⁰

All exercise falls under two categories: anaerobic and aerobic. Aerobic exercise refers to movement that increases your heart rate – so for example, running, dancing, or swimming. Whereas anaerobic focuses on improving your strength, so yoga, weightlifting and Pilates. Both play a critical part in weight loss and are affective at improving your metabolism to help burn calories.¹¹

We are advised by organisations like the NHS to do some form of daily exercise, which in theory doesn’t sound too difficult to do. However, the practicalities of life can make finding the time and energy to do this a challenge. Whether it is working in an office, long commuter travel, physical ability or your mental wellbeing, there are a lot of barriers that can make exercise difficult to do every day.¹²

But when this happens, be kind to yourself. Everyone has an off day – just pick up with your exercise when you are feeling up to it. It can also help to exercise with a friend or partner so that you can encourage and motivate one another. Don’t be afraid to change it up too. If you aren’t enjoying one type of exercise, try something new. You are more likely to stick to it if you are having fun.¹²

Your mental health is an important factor in all aspects of your life. Stress, anxiety or depression, for example, can lead to emotional eating as a coping mechanism. Some mental health conditions can make you crave high-calorie, sugary or fatty foods due to the increased levels of the stress-hormone, cortisol, in your body. This can lead to a gradual weight gain.¹³

It's important to address any mental health concerns you might have. Speaking to your GP about your feelings can help you get the treatment and support that you need. They are trained to listen and advise without judgement, but taking someone with you to your appointment can help if you feel uncomfortable going alone.