Dec 14, 2016 04:44 AM EST By Audri Taylors, UniversityHerald Reporter

Roughly 12.5 million children between the ages of 2 and 19 are obese and this is according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC says that playing video games is one of the contributing factor to why a child develops weight problems. But, it is not just all about the lack of physical activities, but because of the ads in these online games that are actually making the kids fatter.

According to a Dutch research last year, children who often play computer games that feature food advertisements increase the youngsters' cravings for sweets and more junk foods. Dr. Frans Folkvord, a psychologist at Radboud University in the Netherlands said that based on their studies, kids who play online games binge on unhealthy snacks.

Because of this study conducted by Dr. Folkvord, the experts at the World Health Organization encouraged control on advertising junk foods over the internet through online games and social media.

Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, the WHO's regional director for Europe, says: "Often, parents do not see the same advertisements, nor do they observe their children's online activities."

Children who are given the liberty to use smart phones can just download gaming applications that are provided by the fast food companies and this is something that parents should pay a closer attention to. However, these online games are not the only ones that are supposed to be blamed for childhood obesity, even if the parents are unaware of the things they see while they're playing. Parents play a significant role in watching over their children's diet whether or not their kids are into playing computer games. These kids should also be encouraged to increase their physical activities and be active in sports. This way, they can be far from being overweight or obese.

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