I think that many things contribute to the factor of being overweight...leading to obesity.

I'm sure that lack of exercise, eating the wrong foods, etc. do play a role in many people's weight problems. But I also believe that excessive weight can be medical/genetic.

Another thing I've found that plays a part is how quickly someone is eating their food. I know my mother always ate extremely slow...and now so do I. But I do notice that people who seem to "inhale" their foods eat much more and stay hungrier for longer while eating slowly and much less food makes you feel fuller. I think that has to do with the amount of time it takes your body to send the message to your brain that it is full. (I read that somewhere, actually.)

In my family on my dad's side, many of us are a little overweight. I weigh 230 at 5'5". My dad's also overweight, as are many of my other relatives. Now on my mom's side of the family everyone's slim...something that I don't have the pleasure of experiencing. Both my brother and sister are thin, also.

Something that I think also contributes to a person's weight is if they were abused or not. I know many people who were abused gain weight to comfort and nurture themselves. Some of us who are sexual abuse survivors try to cover up our bodies by putting on the weight. (This does NOT work, I tell ya!)

Ok, there's my take on the whole situation.