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Child obesity abuse?

Should parents be charged with child abuse or negligence if their child is obese?

  • Total voters
    24
Kal'Stang

Kal'Stang

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Should parents be charged with abuse or negligence if their child is obese?
 
Child abuse would taking a child away from his parents because he was overweight. That could lead to all kinds of guilt/depression and eating disorders.
 
I am not sure I like the idea of the government mandating how skinny, fat or how fit a child is or is not supposed to be. Today the government is taking little Timmy or Suzy because they are fat and tomorrow the government could be finding you because you are fat.
 
Of course not, it is the parents responsibility, and of the child doesn't like being fat, they can ask their parents to change their diet.
 
An obese child typically indicates to me that the child has bad parents. But like some people have said, I wouldn't want the government to dictate what is and isn't "fat". And I doubt the child's life would be improved if their parents were arrested. I'd prefer making gym class either longer, more physical, or both.

If the parents are taking their kids to McDs every day, then they could either switch to Subway (or some other more healthy fast food chain) or better yet just cook at home. It's a lot cheaper in the long run and better for you (depending on what you cook of course).


But I'd like to hear what child would turn down McDonalds if their parents are willing to get it for them.
 
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beatkid4.jpg
 
The rule should be, if you're not physically fit by 17, you're going through basic training at 18. 66% of the country being overweight is simply unacceptable for an industrialized nation.
 
Just sitting and thinking, not trying to say that childhood obesity isn't a problem, but how big of a problem is it really? Has it gotten that much worse, or are we just more focused on it now with the HC bill and all.
I don't have kids so I don't normally see large numbers together. My friend's kids are all normal weight or thin.The kids I see on my road playing are all thin. Some months ago, I did go to a little girls graduation to 1st grade. I only remember seeing one girl that was chubby in the school. I know I didn't see obese chilren all over the place.
What's anyone else's experience with kids you see?
 
Barbbtx said:
Just sitting and thinking, not trying to say that childhood obesity isn't a problem, but how big of a problem is it really? Has it gotten that much worse, or are we just more focused on it now with the HC bill and all.
I don't have kids so I don't normally see large numbers together. My friend's kids are all normal weight or thin.The kids I see on my road playing are all thin. Some months ago, I did go to a little girls graduation to 1st grade. I only remember seeing one girl that was chubby in the school. I know I didn't see obese chilren all over the place.
What's anyone else's experience with kids you see?
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Probably won't be a big problem in the future at all. Diabetes: Half of U.S. Adults at Risk by 2020, says UnitedHealth Group - ABC News
 
I think taking the child out of his home and away from his parents would cause a lot more problems than it solves. There are much better ways to deal with obesity in children.

More physical activity in school. Adjusting the marketplace to make healthier foods more appealing and affordable than junk food. Changing the meal options available at school to ensure that younger children, at least, have healthy lunches and few junk food choices available from the school.

I think the most important and best way to combat childhood obesity though is to educate parents and even children on nutrition, health, and exercise.
 
Absolutely not. here are just a couple among many reasons.

first.. different people have different metabolisms and body sizes, this is not a black and white situation, and there is no way to discern for a certainty that it was parenting and not a whacked out thyroid or something.

second.. we need linebackers and offensive linesmen for football teams
 
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Kal'Stang said:
Should parents be charged with abuse or negligence if their child is obese?
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I voted, "Yes." Caveats include age of the child (very young) and extent of problem.

By obese, however, I'm defining it differently than its common definition....commonly 20% over 'normal weight.' And I'm not sure what definition I'd place on it -- but like, pornography, I'll know it when I see it.
 
Some times it's just genetics. Some kids go through stages where they gain weight. Do you really want the government monitoring what you feed your kid and pulling you over if you are in a hurry and pull into a McDonalds one day?
 
marduc said:
Absolutely not. here are just a couple among many reasons.

second.. we need linebackers and offensive linesmen for football teams
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Actually, I was going to mention that. That's awesome.
 
There's no way I could advocate in any form, a state or government official coming to someone's home telling the parents they are being charged with abuse / neglegence because their child is fat (whatever that means). I DO think that parents are not parenting and instead shove kids in front of the PS3 because they don't want to deal with them on some level. Feed them cheesy-poofs, play games, keep them out of the way and quiet. Two years later they're 4 1/2 years old 110 pounds and roll better than they walk.
 
When looking at obesity, especially in children, you have to at least look for some predetermining factors. If both parents are rather large then you can expect the children to be rather large due to genetics. I'm sure evolution may have had a hand in the large obesity epidemic we are facing today, such as humans developing slower metabolisms in times of great famine in order to conserve energy. My good friend's nephew is only five years old and weighs 85 LBS.. This kid has a monster appetite, and always has! I know the poor kid can't help it, it just takes a lot more for him to be full than the average kid.
 
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BCR said:
When looking at obesity, especially in children, you have to at least look for some predetermining factors. If both parents are rather large then you can expect the children to be rather large due to genetics. I'm sure evolution may have had a hand in the large obesity epidemic we are facing today, such as humans developing slower metabolisms in times of great famine in order to conserve energy. My good friend's nephew is only five years old and ways 85 LBS.. This kid has a monster appetite, and always has! I know the poor kid can't help it, it just takes a lot more for him to be full than the average kid.
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The same thing was true of my youngest niece. She started out small at birth, but she has been overweight most of her life. My sister didn't feed her kids junk food much and certainly didn't have the money to go to McDonalds and other fast food places except on rare occasions, yet the youngest one was huge and is still large for her age. I shudder to think that some would advocate removing kids like this from their parents when they aren't doing anything wrong. Doesn't the government have more pressing matters to deal with? I'm not against nutrition education and removing junk food from schools, but bringing criminal charges against parents for their kids being overweight is just ridiculous.
 
At the very least it's extreme negligence. How are stupid kids going to know anything about proper nutrition? It's up to the parents to see to their children's nutritional needs and fitness.

There are countless examples where lack of proper supervision can get a parent accused of abuse, why does nutrition get a pass? It's not just that little tubby is going to get picked on in school anymore. Now the prize for obesity is heart disease and childhood diabetes (yes, they had to come up with a name for it). Parents who are complicit in this are killing their children before they can even have a chance to lead a full and satisfying life.
 
Barbbtx said:
You didn't answer my question. Do you see lots of fat kids in your everyday life?
As for your link, that was about adults, not children.
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Actually it should answer your question but whatever. Personally? I see kids so ****ing fat their eyelids have rolls. What the hell would I know though? You live in a state that rewards gluttony with a free meal if you can pile all into your gut so you tell me.
 
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