Causes of Childhood Obesity - Common and Uncommon Factors

Causes of childhood obesity are generally welldinners and snacks. Unfortunately, quick meals are
known, not really a secret from anyone.high in fat and high in calories. Combined with the
However, there are some causes that peoplelack of exercise, these meals pack on the pounds.
might not take into account. We all know about· Mental Factors: Just as adults, kids who
causes such as poor diet and lack of exercise, butstruggle with being kids, can use food as a stress
genetics also plays a big role.reliever. If a kid feels stressed out, he can see
Diet and exercise fit under the lifestyles category.food as a comfort. Eating to feel good is one of
These are the two factors that everyone agreesthe looked over causes of childhood obesity.
on. However, there are also genetic factors, and· Economic Factors. Kids who grow up in low
even hormonal factors that can cause obesity.income families are at a high risk of obesity.
Let's take an in depth look at some of theseUnfortunately, the cost of healthy food is a lot
causes.more than the unhealthy alternatives. Many of
· Lack of Exercise. Lack of exercise is one ofthese families have no choice but to buy the
the key causes of childhood obesity. If childrencheaper unhealthier foods.
aren't active, they can't burn off calories. This· Family History. Family history (genetics) can
leads to fat build up. The biggest contributor toplay a huge role in the weight of a kid. A kid who
this factor is the invention of video games. Videocomes from an overweight family is at a higher
games are so good now, that they replace therisk of being overweight themselves, especially if
real world with a fantasy world. Kids are muchthe overweight family keeps a lot of snack foods
more engaged in this fantasy world, and loss theirin the house to fill their cravings as well.
motivation for going outside.Whether these causes of childhood obesity are
· Diet. The American diet is becoming more andcommon or not, the fact is we are in a crisis. Our
more tainted every year. In our society, faster iskids are becoming more overweight everyday,
better. We no longer have the time to sit downand there seems to be nothing we can do about
and have meals together. Instead, we replaceit. The fact is, we have to do something about it.
those meals with quick alternatives such as TVAnd, we have to do something soon.