The American Medical Association has recognized obesity as a disease (Pollack). Overweight is defined as excess body weight due to fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. Obesity is defined as excess body fat (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Like a disease, childhood obesity has causes and effects, treatments and preventions, risk factors and prevalence. Parents reported that they hold children's parents responsible for healthy eating habits or lack thereof (Costley and Leggett 3). “Obesity is most commonly caused by eating too many calories than you take in” (“Childhood Obesity”). Eating too many calories comes from choosing poor-quality foods, such as high-calorie fast foods, or consuming too many “healthy foods.” Calories can be expelled from the body through physical activity, heat generated by food and our internal clock. Being active will use about 30% of the calories you eat; however, this percentage varies depending on how active or sedentary a person is. “This phase is important to balance calorie intake and consumption” (Berg 37). When we eat and after eating, our body creates heat. “This heat helps muscles move food through the digestive tract and helps specialized cells secrete juices to digest, absorb and metabolize food. This process is called thermogenesis and burns approximately 10% of the calories consumed." (Berg 36). “Our internal clock manages heartbeat, cell repair, elimination, infection fighting, blood circulation, breathing, heat generation, digestion, production and transportation of chemical compounds used in the body and sending messages to and from the center. of paper......Obesity." MedicineNet. Np, nd Web. April 14, 2014. .Costley, Kevin C. and Timothy Leggett. "Childhood Obesity: A Heavy Problem." Www.eric.ed.gov . Np , April 1, 2010. Web. Daniels, Stephen R. “The Consequences of Childhood Overweight and Obesity.” and Cynthia Thomas. Scale Back!: Why Childhood Obesity Isn't Just About Weight. Chicago, IL: Hilton Pub. , 2008. Print.Pollack, Andrew. “AMA Recognizes Obesity as a Disease.” Times, June 18, 2013. Web, April 14. 2014. .