From the Ayurvedic perspective, one of the major reasons for obesity is an imbalance in the Kapha dosha. Ayurveda also says that people with a dominant Kapha constitution are more likely to gain weight than Pitta or Vata dominant individuals. Therefore, people with an imbalance in their Kapha energy have to work extra hard to avoid gaining that unwanted weight.

Ancient Ayurvedic texts have described eight undesirable conditions of the body called as Nindya Prakriti among which obesity or Medoroga is one. Individuals with obesity tend to have overly sterile fats or medas that malnourish other essential dhatus of the body. When fat metabolism is hampered followed by an increase in Kapha, obesity is the result.