According to China Comment magazine, childhood obesity is no longer a problem limited to children in cities. On the contrary, the rate of obesity in children actually rises sharply in China's rural areas.

Reporters from China Comment found four reasons to explain this phenomenon. First, as the income of Chinese farmers has increased over the years, their dietary patterns have also changed. They are now less likely to eat light and healthy meals. Instead, they are eating high-fat, high-calorie and low-fiber meals.

In addition, the parents of children in rural areas know little about nutrition. For instance, they assume that instant noodles and beverages with high sugar content are good for their children, and are likely to buy these products for their kids. Some families even compete to see who can buy the most.

Furthermore, there is an outdated notion still prevalent among older generations in rural areas that a fat child is a healthy child, according to a doctor at the Chengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a problem because many children in rural areas are raised by their grandparents, who belong to that older generation.

Last but not least, a lack of exercise is blamed for rising rate of childhood obesity in rural areas. Many rural-dwelling children spend most of their time at home, watching TV or playing on their mobile phones.