Dietary causes of childhood obesity

Childhood is an important developmental stage in the lifecycle. It is the age of rapid growth. These years are critical for a child as what happens at this age has an impact on adult life. It is well established that food habits inculcated in childhood can last a lifetime. Overweight and obesity in children is rising all over the world and its causes are constantly in discussion. Overweight/obesity has several causes- genetics, environmental factors which include diet and activity behavior. Multiple causes contribute to the development of obesity in children and no single factor is solely responsible. With the changes in dietary patterns, diets are nutritionally poor resulting in reduced consumption of vital nutrients and a high consumption of fats, sugar and salt. This paper aimed to note the dietary causes of overweight and obesity in children. Some of the causes discussed herein include feeding practices, availability of food and increased consumption of processed food. Television viewing, food advertisements, skipping breakfast and even nutrition knowledge of parents and children are briefly discussed.