As reported by Feng Liu from Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science

Center (2021), obesity primarily results from an imbalance between energy consumption and
expenditure, stemming from a sedentary way of life combined with excessive nutritional intake.

Firstly, the unhealthy diet comes from the consumption of substantial quantities of processed or fast
food, characterized by high levels of fat and sugar. Consuming larger portions than necessary, is also
a significant factor in weight gain. Additionally, the frequent consumption of sugary drinks, including
soft drinks and fruit juice, can contribute to excessive calorie intake (1). To be more specific, excess
calories are stored throughout your body as fat. Your body stores this fat within specialized fat cells
(adipose tissue) — either by enlarging fat cells, which are always present in the body, or by creating
more of them and causing overweight. (Harvard Health Publishing, 2019) (2). According to National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, during 2015 – 2018, over one-third of children and
adolescents aged 2 -19 years consumed fast food. Children and adolescents consumed an average
13.8% of their calories from fast food on any given day (3). The result for this is the obesity rate
among children and adolescents (aged 2-18 years) has increased rapidly, with more than 100 million
affected in 2015 (4).

1
Obesity - Causes - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
2
Why people become overweight - Harvard Health
3
Products - Data Briefs - Number 375- August 2020 (cdc.gov)
4
Epidemic obesity in children and adolescents: risk factors and prevention - PubMed (nih.gov)