obese children - child abuse

[PepperElf]

figured i'd start the topic cos it was kinda coming up anyway over at the CS side

anyway... in light of the new animal abuse laws where it's consider to be animal abuse to stuff your pet to the point of being morbidly obese... i guess it's a good time to point out that this is already in effect for children.

it was on the news a while back i think... in england, if your child is morbidly obese you can be charged with child abuse because, as a parent, you are responsible to give your child proper food to eat.

now this doesn't mean you'll go to jail if you let junior have some chips or a pastry... this is for parents who ONLY give their kids crap to eat to the point where the kids are at risk for serious medical complications.

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

Hmmmm..

On the one hand I like it, on the other I am thinking "nanny state gone too far?"

[smileyeagle1021]

This one I actually kind of do support the government on... I could see this being abused quite easily, which gives me pause on whether or not I am comfortable with this development, but assuming it stays exactly as it is now of just being a means of ensuring that parents are not blatantly ignoring their children's health (I don't think an overweight child is neglict, but a morbidly obese child who as an adult would qualify for weight reduction surgery as a necassary step, obviously the parent has done more than merely missing full diligence).

[AdminAssistant]

I also hope that if they start taking children away from parents, they use a different barometer than the BMI and that it's only done in extreme cases.

[Rebel]

I also hope that if they start taking children away from parents, they use a different barometer than the BMI and that it's only done in extreme cases.

I think they have taken obese kids from their parents before, but it was only after several warnings and a few doctors recommendations.

This article looks at both sides of the argument.

But it does bring up the idea that parents with anorexic children through no fault of their own could lose custody as well. Obesity and anorexia are just as dangerous as each other. But this would only be if the parent doesn't take action to help their child become healthier.

[Red Panda]

As long as the government is going to pay for healthy food then they have a right to tell parents what to feed their kids.

[Greenday]

As long as the government is going to pay for healthy food then they have a right to tell parents what to feed their kids.

Nah. You don't have to eat only healthy food to stay in shape. Especially as a kid. But to get to massive weight levels as a child, you have to eat TONS of crap. And that is abusing your child.

[jackfaire]

I saw three overweight women at the fair lecturing one of their daughters about how she should finish everything on her plate whether she was hungry or not and I wondered how these women couldn't connect their weight issues to what they were told growing up.

[Rebel]

I saw three overweight women at the fair lecturing one of their daughters about how she should finish everything on her plate whether she was hungry or not and I wondered how these women couldn't connect their weight issues to what they were told growing up.

Argh! My mum used to do that. She would fill these huge dinner plates to the maximum and we weren't allowed to leave the table until we'd finished (and we all eat slowly, so this could take 3-4 hours easily).
She stopped when she found out her own mum, who used to do the same thing to her as a child, had type 2 diabetes from being overweight. Our plates were only filled 1/4 of the way after that.
Sometimes it takes the shock of reality to change bad habits.

[smileyeagle1021]

As long as the government is going to pay for healthy food then they have a right to tell parents what to feed their kids.

I don't see anyone advocating for the government to dictate what a parent can and cannot feed their kids. I would say that would be blatantly wrong and intrusive. However, we as a society have decided that parents are responsible for the wellbeing of their children, and when it becomes obvious that they are failing at that responsibility, it is society's responsibility to step in and insure that the child does get taken care of. What is at question is whether or not allowing a child to become morbidly obese is considered a failure of the responsibility of a parent to watch out for the wellbeing of their child.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Exactly. As a child, I ate my fair share of junk food and sweets; however, my parents ensured that it was in moderation and that I exercised to work it off. No-one is saying that children should be doomed to a diet of lettuce leaves and water. But a child of say five that is morbidly obese is a sign that something is wrong; just as it would be if the child was being starved rather than overfed.