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Lifestyle issues — too little activity and too many calories from food and drinks — are the main contributors to childhood obesity. But genetic and hormonal factors might play a role as well. For example, recent research has found that changes in digestive hormones can affect the signals that let you know you're full.¹

Many factors increase your child's risk of becoming overweight:

1. Diet Regularly eating high-calorie foods, such as fast foods, baked goods and vending machine snacks, can cause your child to gain weight.¹
2. Lack of exercise Children who don't exercise much are more likely to gain weight because they don't burn as many calories. Too much time spent in sedentary activities, such as watching television or playing video games, also contributes to the problem.¹
3. Family factors If your child comes from a family of overweight people, he or she may be more likely to put on weight. This is especially true in an environment where high-calorie foods are always available and physical activity isn't encouraged. ¹
4. Psychological factors Personal, parental and family stress can increase a child's risk of obesity. Some children overeat to cope with problems or to deal with emotions, such as stress, or to fight boredom. ¹
5. Socioeconomic factors People in some communities have limited resources and limited access to supermarkets. As a result, they might buy convenience foods that don't spoil quickly, such as frozen meals, crackers and cookies. Also, people who live in lower income neighborhoods might not have access to a safe place to exercise. ¹
6. Genetics Some rare gene disorders cause severe childhood obesity. Particular genes acting together can make some children more susceptible to obesity. If there is a family tendency to become overweight, parents need to be even more aware of making healthy food choices for the whole family. ² In addition, mutations in certain genes are associated with early-onset childhood obesity and excessive body mass indices. High birth weights or diabetes of the mother (pregnancy-associated diabetes) have been proposed as potential factors affecting postnatal health, and lack of breastfeeding has been suggested to contribute to a higher risk for obesity during adolescence.²

Dr.Mohamad Bahjat
Pediatrician 

¹https://www.healthline.com/health/weight-loss/weight-problems-in-children
^{a 2}https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/overweight-obesity.html