Weight gain can be a symptom of an underlying health condition. Some of the diseases that an unexplained increase in weight can be indicative of include:
- Salt retention in the body: this eventually leads to water retention as the body tries to diffuse the salt concentration in the body.
- Fluid retention: fluids account for a significant percentage of the overall body weight
- Kidney failure: the functions of the kidney are to get rid of waste matter such as salts from the body. Kidney failure leads to water retention and the build up of toxins in the body.
- Heart failure: this also leads to weight gain.
- Depression: leads to comfort eating and hence the increase in weight.
- Anxiety: has the same effect as depression.
- Pregnancy: this is normal, to a specific degree. However, too much weight may be indicative of a health condition during pregnancy.
Because of the seriousness of these conditions, one should always seek medication once his or her weight gets out of hand without any tangible explanation. But how should weight gain sound an alarm that may be all is not well? Below are some pointers
- When the weight shoots up suddenly. Normal weight gain averages at one pound each week. This specifically happens to a person who is in a deliberate effort to gain weight and thus eats planned diets that have increased calories, exercises to build muscles and drinks a lot of water.
- When the weight gain comes with other conditions such as difficulties in breathing, sweating, food cravings, constant hunger no matter how much one eats, aching joints, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and body swelling
- When the weight keeps going up despite conscious efforts to discourage the weight gain