Society is mired in a plethora of problems, one of which is childhood obesity. Childhood obesity affects many industrialized countries and is increasing every year. According to Patricia Anderson and Kristin Butcher, authors of Childhood Obesity: Trends and Potential Causes, “between 1999 and 2002, nearly 15 percent of American children were considered obese” (Anderson). It is disturbing to know that more and more children are being affected by this trend, not only for the present, but also for the future. Causing health problems such as diabetes and heart complications, obesity control is still relevant and must be addressed in a timely manner. But before a call for action is made, the causes of childhood obesity must be determined. If correctly identified, the causes of childhood obesity can be targeted and an effective plan can be implemented to eliminate them. Although childhood obesity is a unique problem, its broad spectrum explains many possible causes of the problem. One of the causes theoretically associated with childhood obesity is genetics. It goes without saying that the body's chemical makeup has some of the most significant effects on a person's appearance, both inside and out. But the real question is: “Do genetics play a role in obesity?” With a general lack of knowledge of the subject, one could easily make an argument in favor of this idea. If genetics controls a person's appearance, how come it is not the main cause of obesity? The answer to this question is actually quite simple. Obesity is an excessive accumulation of fat in the body that can lead to an overabundance of health problems. Keeping this in mind, one must consume more calories than one expends with exercise and physical exertion so that...... middle of paper ...... end of Considering, these potential causes of childhood obesity work together in negative ways and affect society in the same way. Works Cited Anderson, Patricia M. and Kristen F. Butcher. “Childhood obesity: trends and potential causes.” Spring 2006. Web. May 9, 2012. Brown, Stephen, David Birch, James Teufel, and Viajava Kancherla. “Overweight children: perspectives of 9-13 year olds.” Research articles. Internet. May 06, 2012. Moran, Rebecca. “Assessment and treatment of childhood obesity.” American family physician. AAFP, February 15, 1999. Web. May 11, 2012. Dehghan, Mahshid. “Childhood obesity, prevalence and prevention”. Nutritional Journal. September 2, 2005. Web. May 11, 2012.Whitehead, Tanya D. “Fighting the Obesogenic Environment: Helping Kids Maintain Their Health.” Online Journal of Health and Allied Sciences. October 2007. Web. May 8 2012.