Final answer:
Obesity is caused by a combination of poor diet, lack of physical activity, genetic factors, socioeconomic status, and the physical environment. Affordable and accessible healthy food options as well as safe opportunities for physical activity play a crucial role in managing weight.
Step-by-step explanation:
The factors believed to contribute to or cause obesity are primarily poor diet and lack of physical activity. However, other elements also play a significant role in the development of obesity. These include genetic susceptibility, socioeconomic status, and physical environment, which might affect an individual's access to healthy food choices and safe areas for physical activity.
In some contexts, the lack of affordable, nutritious food options results in relying on inexpensive, high-calorie foods, impacting an individual's diet quality. Additionally, socioeconomic factors such as living in neighborhoods with fewer resources can limit physical activity options due to reasons such as safety concerns.
Genetics also have a noted influence on body weight, with a history of obesity in the family indicating a higher risk. Nevertheless, lifestyle choices remain central as sedentary behavior increases with technological advances and crowded, stressful living conditions in urban areas contribute to the rising obesity rates.