Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - A new study carried out by researchers has proven that childhood obesity is being caused by too much snacking on junk food.

The study was carried out by researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and focused on the types of foods that kids are eating, and how much snacking they are doing during the day.

The most popular junk food that kids consume include large amounts of candy, chips, among other foods.

These junk foods are high in salt and fat, and create a major problem in terms of weight gain.

What researchers have found is that children get roughly 27% of their calories each and every day from junk food.

On top of that, 98% of kids between the ages of 2 and 18 consume snacks during the day that consist of junk foods.

This is a major increase from what was being seen three decades ago, as the study went back over 30 years to compare kids from then to now.

This was one of the first studies to really hone in on the long-term eating habits of children.

Researchers recommend healthy snacks such as apple slices and other fruits and vegetables rather than junk food.

The study has been published in the March edition of the journal Health Affairs.