Child and adolescent obesity

tomic, psychological, and social alterations. 7 Although it is tempting to conclude that overweight and obesity are caused by genetic or physiologic differences, this has not been shown to be the usual scenario. The biochemical, metabolic, and anatomic findings associated with obesity may be caused by obesity rather than the converse. Similarly, there are “chicken-and-egg” arguments about the psychological and social associations with the overweight condition. Do psychological problems lead to overeating and decreased activity? Or, does being overweight lead to psychological distress? It is plausible that these relationships are bidirectional.