Childhood Obesity Causes

Why are our children getting so fat? What are the causes of childhood obesity ?
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Because. the factors that contribute obesity in children and adolescents (meaning a BMI-for-age above the 95th percentile;see childhood obesity BMI) interact with each other, it is not possible to specify one behavior as the “cause” of obesity in children. There are many factors typically working in combination. Some are changeable and others are not. In some cases medical conditions (endocrine problems, genetic syndromes, and medications) can be related with unnecessary weight gain. Even though there are some genetic and environmental causes of child obesity, it’s important to know that weight gain, whether leading to mild or severe clinical obesity has various causes centering on an imbalance between calories consumed from food and beverages and calories burnt in physical activity. Hence, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits, or a combination of the two are general causes of childhood obesity, with genetics and lifestyle both playing important roles in determining a child's weight.

Your child, need extra nutrients and calories to support normal growth and development, metabolism, and physical activity. So if they consume the calories needed for daily activities, growth and metabolism, they add pounds in proportion to their growth. But eating calories beyond what's necessary to support their growing bodies contributes weight gain. If this is not reversed, the children will become obese over time which leads to serious health effects such as, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea etc (see childhood obesity effects)


"Children who often consume more calories than they use will gain weight. Consumption of just 100 calories (the equivalent of 8 ounces of a soft drink) above daily requirements will typically result in a 10-pound weight gain over one year."


Many different factors causes imbalance between calorie intake and consumption in children. Factors, including genetic, behavioral, nutritional, psychological, familial, technological, social, economic and environmental factors have reduced physical activity and increased food access and inactive energy expenditure.

Contributing factors
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Preventing and treating obesity is difficult. Causes are different from person to person and are still not fully understood. However, interactions among following factors can be identified as potential causes of childhood obesity.

Continue reading......causes of childhood obesity >>>

Energy Imbalance To remain in balance and maintain your body weight, the calories consumed must be balanced by the calories burned by normal physical activity, daily activities, or exercise. [Read more]

Genetic Causes Of Childhood Obesity Genetic factors alone can play a role in specific cases of obesity in children. For example, rare genetic disorders such as Prader-Willi syndrome and hormonal disorder... [Read More]

Childhood Obesity & Physical Activity Children with Sedentary behavior are more likely to gain weight because they don't burn calories through physical activity. Inactive leisure activities, such as watching television... [Read More]

Childhood Obesity & Exercise Insufficient expenditure of energy through regular exercise is a factor that has contributed to this being one of the causes of childhood obesity. [Read More]

Childhood Obesity & Food Over-consumption of high-calorie foods with dense fat such as fast foods, baked goods, snacks, contributes to childhood Obesity. Large portion sizes for food and beverages... [Read More]

Childhood Obesity & Diet In U.S more than 60% of youth consume too many fatty foods which overtime promotes child obesity and obesity related health problems and less than 20% consume... [Read More]

Childhood Obesity & Nutrition Children are eating more sugary, salty & saturated fats than is recommended and not enough fruit and vegetables. Attention has also lately focused on children consuming fast foods [Read More]

Childhood Obesity Fast Food As expertise has emerge and globalization has extended, thousands of fast food chains have been formed to consider the requirement of the speed of life that most of us have. [Read More]

Media and Childhood Obesity Media lessen the time the child expend in energetic activities. In other words, it's not what the child is doing but rather what he/she is not doing while watching TV. [Read More]

Television Childhood Obesity Television literally is a child obesity machine both because of what it shows and the way it affects children’s lives. It gives advertisers a way to walk through the front door... [Read more]

Childhood Obesity Advertising Our children are exposed to the advertisements quite often for foods that are harmful to them. Each year, the average child sees about 40,000 commercials on television alone. [Read More]

Childhood Obesity & Parents Family behavioral patterns regarding shopping, cooking, eating and exercise have an important effect on child’s energy imbalance. Parents are liable for... [Read More]

Environmental Causes Of Child Obesity Child obesity is influenced at home, child care, school and community environments related to food intake and physical activity. Environmental factors with lifestyle... [Read More]

Child Obesity & Community Community environment influences access to physical activity opportunity and access to affordable and healthy foods. For example, a lack of secure bike paths, sidewalks... [Read More]

Childhood Obesity In Schools It makes sense those schools with environment that doesn’t promote healthy nutrition, physical activity habits, and health education influences obesity in children. [Read More]

More Causes Of Childhood Obesity Child obesity may be caused by certain medical conditions, but these are very rare. They include hormone or other chemical imbalances and inherited disorders of metabolism. [Read More]

Tips for parents ► What can you do as a parent or guardian or caregiver to help preventing childhood obesity? We have some ideas in our Childhood Obesity Prevention section.

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