According to the CDC: In the United States, the percentage of children and adolescents affected by obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s. Data from 2015–2016 show that nearly 1 in 5 school-age children and young people aged 6 to 19 years in the United States has obesity.

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Many factors contribute to childhood obesity, including:

• Genetics.

• Metabolism—how your body changes food and oxygen into energy it can use.

• Eating and physical activity behaviors.

• Community and neighborhood design and safety.

• Short sleep duration.

• Negative childhood events.

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Genetic factors cannot be changed. However, people and places can play a role in helping children achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Changes in the environments where young people spend their time -like homes, schools, and community settings -can make it easier for youths to access nutritious foods and be physically active.