What causes children to become overweight?

Some of the factors that cause children to be overweight are:

• Poor food choices: In most schools and in many homes, children have access to unhealthy, energy-dense (high calorie) and/or sugar-laden foods. Sugary drinks (soda, juice, energy drinks, etc.) are the largest source of added sugar in the typical American child's diet and, on any given day, 80% of children drink a sugary drink.
• Increased portion sizes: Plates are bigger, as are serving sizes at restaurants. With more on the plate to eat, kids are stuffing themselves with extra calories. 
• Lack of daily physical activity: Less than half of children nationwide are getting the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for American's recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day. According to the CDC, children 8-18 spend an average of 7.5 hours per day using entertainment media. 4.5 of those hours are spent watching TV. With computers, video games and HD TV, our children have become more sedentary than ever before in our history. 
• Advertising to children: Advertisements for sugary, highly processed foods influence children and impact the food purchasing choices made by parents at the supermarket and children in their schools. 
• Overweight or obese caregivers and/or friends: Children cannot buy their own food and look to the caregivers in their life to provide their basic needs. They also look to adults for guidance. If children are not encouraged to exercise or are given processed, unhealthy foods to eat they may eventually become overweight or obese. Kids are also easily influenced by friends and may succumb to the pressure to indulge in unhealthy foods if all of their friends are doing it. 
• Socioeconomics: For some children, lack of access to affordable healthy foods combined with a lack of access to safe places to play and be active may lead to excess weight gain.