10 sneaky conditions that lead to weight gain

Do you struggle to maintain a healthy weight?

Maybe it seems like no matter how careful you are about what you eat, the number on the scale just keeps going up, and your clothes keep getting tighter and tighter.

It can be frustrating, especially if you’re following a healthy diet and even managing to get in some daily exercise.

The truth is, many health conditions — some you’d never suspect — can make it hard to maintain a healthy weight or even cause sudden weight gain.

So, stop beating yourself up, and see if one of these 10 sneaky conditions could be to blame…

#1 Hypothyroidism

Low thyroid, or underactive thyroid, is a common cause of weight gain — especially in women.

The thyroid (a small, butterfly-shaped gland in your neck) produces hormones that support metabolism. When it becomes underactive, meaning it stops producing the right amounts, it can feel like you keep packing on the pounds, no matter what you do.

Your doctor can test your thyroid with a simple blood test. But before you take the results at face value, you should understand thyroid tests often miss the mark, so be prepared to advocate for yourself.

#2 Depression

Depression can also make it more likely you’ll gain weight for multiple reasons.

First, when you’re feeling blue, you’re less likely to make good diet choices and more likely to skip out on time at the gym. And because depression can trigger higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, fat can begin to build up around your midsection.

Taking medications to treat depression can make that weight gain even worse since some antidepressants, particularly SSRIs like paroxetine and escitalopram, are more likely to cause weight gain.

However, never stop taking medication if you’re under the care of a physician without first discussing options with them, including a few you can read about here.

#3 Insomnia

Good sleep is vital to maintaining a healthy body composition.

When you get too little shut-eye a night, your body increases production of the hormones cortisol and insulin, both of which can supercharge unwanted weight gain.

Additionally, a lack of sleep alters the hormones that signal when you’re hungry, leading to unhealthy cravings, especially for foods high in sugar and fat.

#4 Menopause

Menopause brings on a host of challenges. Unfortunately, a common effect of lower estrogen levels is an increase in fat around the belly, hips, and thighs.

To make matters worse, menopause can also lead to depression and problems sleeping. In other words, it combines the weight-gain effects of low mood and lack of sleep, so you’re both depressed and sleep deprived, and those unhealthy snacks look even better.

#5 Cushing’s Disease

Cushing’s disease occurs when your adrenal glands make too much cortisol (there’s that stress hormone again!). When this happens, not only will the padding around your belly get thicker, but a particular sign of Cushing’s you’ll also see is an increase of fat at the base of the back of your neck.

Other signs of the condition include a rounded face, purple-colored stretch marks and thin, weak limbs. If you have any of these signs, talk to your doctor about testing and treatment to lower your cortisol levels.

For more signs of high cortisol levels, check here.

#6 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

In the U.S., five to six million women live with polycystic ovary syndrome, caused by an excess of male androgen hormone. Even though it’s the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age, many women don’t know they have it. That’s because there’s no single test that can show that you have it.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may have cysts that grow on the ovaries, skip menstrual periods, experience higher levels of acne and have more hair on the face or body.

The condition can also cause weight gain by reducing your body’s sensitivity to insulin, leading to insulin resistance and increased fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area.

#7 Sleep Apnea

While excess weight can cause you to develop sleep apnea, having sleep apnea can also be a cause of weight gain. You might have sleep apnea if you experience drowsiness throughout the day, snore loudly at night, or have episodes in which your breathing stops in your sleep, causing you to gasp for air.

Because people with sleep apnea don’t sleep well, it disrupts hormones that regulate appetite, increases cravings, impairs insulin sensitivity, decreases metabolism, and tends to reduce physical activity.

If you have sleep apnea, you may need a CPAP breathing machine or other forms of treatment. This supplement might also offer help for the condition.

#8 Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of conditions that come together to cause significant harm. But one stands out: belly fat.

Surprisingly, it’s that weight around the middle doing the most harm. It doesn’t just sit there; it is active fat that produces hormones, proinflammatory molecules and non-esterified free fatty acids. As a result, your entire metabolism changes…

Your body increases fat storage, raises cholesterol, increases insulin resistance, and, as a result, blood pressure goes up and so does blood glucose, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. Living with MetS significantly increases your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Metaflammation is a component of MetS (basically, inflammation on steroids) that can make weight loss challenging. An alkaline diet targets inflammation and has been found to help people drop 13 pounds in 16 weeks.

#9 Diabetes

Diabetes is often treated with a combination of a healthy diet, medications (such as Metformin) and insulin. Unfortunately, people who take insulin often gain weight. That’s because, even though it helps sugar enter the cells as it should, excess sugar is stored as fat. Taking insulin can also lead to low blood sugar, increasing hunger and compounding the weight-gain problem.  

Counting calories, being physically active and not skipping balanced meals can help. Always take insulin as prescribed, but if weight gain is a concern, talk to your doctor about other options.

#10 Common medications

Finally, numerous medications have weight gain as a side effect. Just a few that can increase appetite, reduce calorie burn or increase fluid retention and lead to weight gain include corticosteroids, antipsychotics, antidepressants, epilepsy drugs and beta-blockers (for high blood pressure).

Sources:

Conditions That Can Cause Weight Gain – WebMD

Antidepressants and weight gain: What causes it? – Mayo Clinic

Managing weight gain from psychiatric medications – Harvard Health Publishing

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome – Endocrine Society