What is the main contributor to child obesity?

Why is there so much child obesity in the US?
In France for example you rarely see an obese adult and almost never an obese kid.
Is it genes (parents)? is it improper food? is it improper
habits (cough potato)? or is it a disease?
What is the main reason a kid starts his life with this?

Jenn i dont think its the parents because in France a lot of parents dont know how to say NO, and there's no obesity

It isn't genes but it is the parents. Kids are spoiled and given whatever whenever they want it. And they are absolutely not disciplined at all. Good eating habits and discipline and the word (dare I say it) "NO" is NOT (I repeat NOT) learned by children these days.

It seems to be the parents fault also DURING PREGNANCY. I found this article in the LA Times on this [LAT SFVN Mon 12 November 2007 page F7] where worldwide studies show that pregnant moms who eats a lot (sugars, fatty foods) may alter 'fetal programming' and cause later child obesity. Interesting. Report It

A combination of all of the above.
Kids are spoiled here in America. They want an XBox, they get an XBox. They want McDonalds, they get McDonalds.
Truthfully though, atleast where I live, I am not seeing it. I don't see all these "obese" people everyone keeps talking about. There were only like 2 fat kids in my middle school grade growing up. I see fat adults, but not everywhere - like 1 out of 100 adults I see will be fat - I must not live in the right area... I guess people here in south Florida try to keep up with their appearance? : /

Parents. They are enablers. Doesn't mean they don't love their kids, but they are ultimately responsible for the health and well being of their children. Fat kids aren't fat from carrot and celery diets. They're fat from parents who can't say no.

few factors offcourse .heredity is also one of them but most important is our eating habits and lifestyle.junk food like chips,sodas,cookies, eating pizzas frequently,icecreams they also cause obesity if eaten more than the work out u do.basically anybody should maintain his eating according to his body type and how much work out he does.it may be different for different ppl(from different races)

Two words.

LAZY PARNETS

people dont know how to shop. they buy debbie cakes and chips and never think to just leave healthy stuff in the fridge. The pre-packaged food is ALL JUNK! Even if you do get your kid a happy meal, that isn't everyday. The real problem is the sodas, chips, cookies, and cakes in the fridge. Make the kids some fruit jello, leave them sandwich stuff, crackers, cheese, things that they can grab that won't fatten them up. Most kids dont cook at all so what do you do if you cant cook and you want something to eat? Apple or brownie debbie cake? It's simple as that. When I was a kid we usually didnt have anything in the fridge like I see people with today. We drank water tea or milk and we usually ate 3 meals, we hardly had any snacks.

some kids and people cant help it but 95% of the time you see an over weight kid you will see a overweight parent or parents. They are to big to play , run or just plain lazy there for the kid has no exercise and doesnt play sports or go riding with their mates .

The Standard American Diet (SAD) is very poor - most food is over processed stripping away nutrients. There is lots of additives and preservatives - put in to extend the shelf life, but some of those things shouldn't even be consumed.

Next is the problem of how we eat, we rush around, eat in the car, in front of the tube..

.My opinion is that it is linked to the decline of breastfeeding and feeding formula also sets us up for a lifetime of bad habits. Momma's milk is made for baby, but too few actually get to breastfeed long enough. Formula is a poor subsitite for the real thing, shoving a bottle at baby messes up his natural hunger instincts by feeding him when he's not hungry or coaxing him to finish the bottle, and not being able to feed him promptly when he is hungry cause bottle prep takes time. This sets a kid up to be out of sync in his eating habits right away.
France has much better breastfeeding rates that the US - it helps get kids off to the right start

In my case, I was a very fat child. 200 by 4th grade, 350 after junior high and over 450 after high school. I was very happy, well adjusted and well educated. I loved being fat and did not view it except positively. There was no junk food or excess sweets. A lot of good food always and I loved to eat and did. My parents and siblings were all normal weight. They knew I was happy and accepted me for what I was - a great person who was also very fat.