It is a question that is asked rather frequently: what makes it so hard to lose weight? If you’ve dealt with obesity for any length of time, then chances are this is a question that you have asked yourself in the past. It is also one of the questions that so many people bring to the table when first meeting with a weight loss doctor.

To lose weight you need to find the perfect balance between a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. Eat less and move more. The idea may be basic, but the details are where this formula becomes complicated.

At the start of your weight loss program, it is not uncommon to feel like you have more questions than you do answers.

Some of the most common questions asked include:

• What is the best type of diet to follow for successful weight loss?
• How can I lose weight and keep it off?
• Can weight loss surgery really help me lose weight better?
• How and why did I end up gaining weight and struggling with obesity to begin with?

Thanks to decades of studying weight loss and obesity, your weight loss surgeon can help you with the first three questions easily. As part of your introduction to a medical weight loss program, you’ll be guided through your different options for weight loss surgery, walked through the different statistics on weight loss success following the different types of weight loss surgery, and your weight loss doctor will even help you create a healthy diet plan that fits your lifestyle and your health needs.

But as for this last question, the answer to what causes obesity is incredibly varied and not always perfectly understood.

There are a lot of personal factors that can influence obesity, such as:

• Eating a diet rich in fatty, sugary, and calorie-dense foods
• Not engaging in enough physical activity daily
• Overeating, which includes eating out of boredom, to ease emotions, or due to social interactions
• Drinking a lot of highly sugary drinks, like soda

Of course, these aren’t the only factors that contribute to obesity. Research shows that kids who grow up with obese or overweight parents are more likely to experience obesity themselves. Stress, anxiety and depression are also all correlated with increased obesity rates.

In fact, the causes of obesity are so often questioned that researchers have recently made a pledge to find out more on this very subject. In June of 2017, the Endocrine Society called for researchers to begin focusing more on this exact subject. The hope is that the more understanding we gain on the potential causes of obesity, the more successful weight loss programs can become.