medical causes of obesity
Last reviewed 04/2022
Endocrine causes of obesity include:
- Cushing’s syndrome – if cortisol excess is suspected then there should be prompt specialist referral
- Thyroid
disease – Thyroid function is worth checking as sub-clinical thyroid dysfunction
is relatively common
- however, the link between hypothyroidism and obesity has probably been overstated (1)
- Sex hormones – Alterations of sex-hormone metabolism are associated with obesity, e.g. hyperandrogenism in polycystic ovary syndrome
Reference:
- British Heart Foundation (November 2004). Factfile - the causes of obesity.