child obesity
Obesity in a person occurs when the amount of calorie intake is higher than that of the amount of energy that person burns off and consequently, the body stores excess calorie intake as fat (low basal metabolic rate). There is no definite cause for obesity, however genetics, environmental, behavioral, psychological and social factors are considered to be the main reasons. ... Obesity in children and adolescents has become a serious issue with many health and social consequences that often continue into adulthood. ... Genes are considered to play role in obesity. During cell division the X and Y-chromosomes that carry parental genes may have some variants that are powerful enough to cause obesity. For example the POMC gene and PC1 gene on chromosomes that are different from normal genes tend to cause obesity. Similarly a gene called leptin on a chromosome that specifies a protein causes people to have increased appetite and obesity. Families share diet and lifestyle habits that may contribute to obesity. Children with obese mothers, low family income, and non- professional parents have significantly elevated risks of having obesity.