What’s one of the biggest causes of childhood obesity? Living in an “obeso-genic environment,” which is a fancy way of saying “Fat Neighborhood.” In other words, kids are more likely to be obese if they grow up in a neighborhood that’s got lots of fast food joints and convenience stores, yet has very few grocery stores, limited access to healthy foods and fresh produce, and very few opportunities for exercise, like walking to stores and libraries, and playing in parks.

In fact, children in fat neighborhoods are twice as likely to be obese as compared to kids living in areas with more opportunities for physical activity and good nutrition. That’s from several new studies from Canada, the U.S., and the U.K. published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Want another factor that contributes to childhood obesity? The child’s parents. Kids tend to copy their parents. So if one or both parent makes poor food choices, and doesn’t exercise, their children do the same thing. And parents whose body mass index falls in the overweight or obese range are more likely to have children who are obese or overweight, too. So, what’s the fix?

Laws in several states require that new roads be built with everyone in mind. Meaning drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and people with disabilities. So, future streets will encourages walking, which helps attract restaurants and stores.

And parents: If you want your child to eat right and get more exercise, you need to get up off the couch, and become a good role model for them.