Too Fat for Fifteen

LuckyLeprechaun

I don't think there's anything wrong with the title. being politically correct about it won't help them. I saw the 17 year old girl in the previews, and she IS fat. FAT FAT FAT. Really fat. Sorry~ I'm sure she is a nice girl, and a charming person, but sugarcoating the fact that she is FAT isn't going to help her. Teaching her about diet and exercise will.

HealthyChanges2010

I find your little lecture really rude. I happen to be 16-years-old and fat as hell, but my parents are not child abusers. My weight is MY problem. Maybe it should be considered the parent's fault if the child is very young, but all the kids on Too Fat for 15 are smart enough to realize that they're putting themselves in danger.

I absolutely hate this show. These kids are obviously not learning anything which is why every damn time they go off campus, they make horrible choices. Their diets are way too restrictive as well. 1200 calories and 10 grams of fat? Teens need a lot more calories and fat than adults do, and honestly, I don't know anybody, young or old, who can stick to 10 grams of fat per day. That's ridiculous.

And they obviously don't tell the kids that weight fluctuation is normal. It really pissed me off when they had that "surprise" weigh-in in the middle of the week. I don't remember her name, but one of the students said it was just make her feel bad. I agree 100%.

Have you ever even realized how much most of the students absolutely hate being there? I understand why. It's torture-- being torn away from your parents and starved. Wellspring needs to re-evaluate the situation. It can't be healthy mentally or physically.

15 is just a kid, far too young to fully understand how the body works. The parents are responsible for the child's upbringing, whether it be food, clothing or shelter. No 15 year old should have to make decisions that are better left up to their parents. If someone tossed a 15 year old to the curb, there would be an outcry, so why not an uproar for feeding a young child like this garbage. In perspective these 15-16 years old may feel they are not children, but looking back they'll see they're just babies and that their parents WERE responsible for taking care of them in ALL ways.

LuckyLeprechaun

lol good edit

toots99

I don't think there's anything wrong with the title. being politically correct about it won't help them. I saw the 17 year old girl in the previews, and she IS fat. FAT FAT FAT. Really fat. Sorry~ I'm sure she is a nice girl, and a charming person, but sugarcoating the fact that she is FAT isn't going to help her. Teaching her about diet and exercise will.

Sugarcoating doesn't help, but does being demeaning help?

LuckyLeprechaun

why is it demeaning to identify the truth? I'm 5'9". This means I'm tall. So describing me as tall is just an adjective. It has no bearing on my personality, or intelligence, or anything else that could be considered demeaning. I didn't say anything about her except she is fat. That's the truth, and it is an accurate adjective to describe her current body composition.

The ones who are demeaned by her current state should be her parents.

HealthyChanges2010

I don't think there's anything wrong with the title. being politically correct about it won't help them. I saw the 17 year old girl in the previews, and she IS fat. FAT FAT FAT. Really fat. Sorry~ I'm sure she is a nice girl, and a charming person, but sugarcoating the fact that she is FAT isn't going to help her. Teaching her about diet and exercise will.

Sugarcoating doesn't help, but does being demeaning help?

I very much agree, I don't think calling a child fat is going to motivate them to make better choices. What an interesting mix of folks we have on this site...

LuckyLeprechaun

I'm not speaking to a child. I'm describing one.

If I were speaking to her, I'd speak in a manner appropriate for speaking to a child.

toots99

why is it demeaning to identify the truth? I'm 5'9". This means I'm tall. So describing me as tall is just an adjective. It has no bearing on my personality, or intelligence, or anything else that could be considered demeaning. I didn't say anything about her except she is fat. That's the truth, and it is an accurate adjective to describe her current body composition.

The ones who are demeaned by her current state should be her parents.

Yes, technically that's correct. But you know that there's a much more insulting stigma when you're described as "fat" as oppposed to being described as "tall". And the media is so obviously using that title as an attention getter. That wouldn't be positive attention, either, it's negative attention, as in "Oooh, let's watch the fat kids!" like they're freaks.

LuckyLeprechaun

you may not like what I am going to say...but here goes.

the reason "fat" has a stigma attached to it is because deep down, we all know that fat is something you allowed to happen through bad choices (99% of the time, thyroid people I'm not talking to you). You kept eating, and not moving, until you reached "fat".

We hear "fat" but we think "lazy" because the two are connected in a causal relationship.

HealthyChanges2010

you may not like what I am going to say...but here goes.

the reason "fat" has a stigma attached to it is because deep down, we all know that fat is something you allowed to happen through bad choices (99% of the time, thyroid people I'm not talking to you). You kept eating, and not moving, until you reached "fat".

We hear "fat" but we think "lazy" because the two are connected in a causal relationship.

Personally I've never connected the two..anyone can be lazy, one doesn't connect to the other in my mind. But that's just me:flowerforyou: We'll all have our thoughts on this whole fat for 15 matter before the night ends:laugh:

toots99

you may not like what I am going to say...but here goes.

the reason "fat" has a stigma attached to it is because deep down, we all know that fat is something you allowed to happen through bad choices (99% of the time, thyroid people I'm not talking to you). You kept eating, and not moving, until you reached "fat".

We hear "fat" but we think "lazy" because the two are connected in a causal relationship.

I agree. I got fat because I ate crap and didn't exercise. Still didn't make me feel any better about being called fat when I was a teenager. In fact, it most likely made me eat more.

By the way, "thyroid people I'm not talking to you" made me laugh. :laugh:

lee112780

I was a chunky kid. Both parents had to work, and I pretty much was allowed to eat whatever I wanted. A little neglectful? Yes. Abuse?? Very far from it. My brother is close to 500 lbs, he is 40 years old and he still blames my parents for giving him whatever he wanted. I say, grow up! Youre a big boy. My parents did give him whatever he wanted, and sad to say, the way they handled us being overweight ( the word FAT is wrong..it just is..especially when u are speaking about or too a child) was just wrong.
So I ask parents this, what would you do if youre child ended up overweight anyway? You know, they get to a certain age when they can go out with friends and buy whatever treats they want. Do you put a teenager on a diet? Because in my mind, thats a type of abuse too. I was put on slim fast when I was 10 years old...insane, and stupid. My father ( who I love, but did make mistakes) would tease me and call me fat. That word hurts!! One min I am allowed to eat whatever, then all of a sudden, I am bigger than all the othetr kids and I have to drink slim fast? You wanna know what happened when he teased me and thought he was helping me with tough love? I gained a lot more. I didnt lose the weight untill I gotto college and realized my parents were wrong. I think the teasing was abuse, because it made everything a lot worse. I still remember some of the things that my father and other so called adults said to me. They burn in my memory.
So if you concider it abuse or not, thats up to you. You should know that there are many chubby kids out there with thin parents. IF it does happen, please make sure you handle it the right way. Its better for a kid to be chubby than for there self esteem to be ruined because their mom didnt think they were pretty enough. Get them into sports, cook healthy, but dont call them fat. Thats the WORST thing u can do. Putting them on a fad diet or much worse a TV show, could really ruin their self esteem. Im sad for them.

toots99

I was a chunky kid. Both parents had to work, and I pretty much was allowed to eat whatever I wanted. A little neglectful? Yes. Abuse?? Very far from it. My brother is close to 500 lbs, he is 40 years old and he still blames my parents for giving him whatever he wanted. I say, grow up! Youre a big boy. My parents did give him whatever he wanted, and sad to say, the way they handled us being overweight ( the word FAT is wrong..it just is..especially when u are speaking about or too a child) was just wrong.
So I ask parents this, what would you do if youre child ended up overweight anyway? You know, they get to a certain age when they can go out with friends and buy whatever treats they want. Do you put a teenager on a diet? Because in my mind, thats a type of abuse too. I was put on slim fast when I was 10 years old...insane, and stupid. My father ( who I love, but did make mistakes) would tease me and call me fat. That word hurts!! One min I am allowed to eat whatever, then all of a sudden, I am bigger than all the othetr kids and I have to drink slim fast? You wanna know what happened when he teased me and thought he was helping me with tough love? I gained a lot more. I didnt lose the weight untill I gotto college and realized my parents were wrong. I think the teasing was abuse, because it made everything a lot worse. I still remember some of the things that my father and other so called adults said to me. They burn in my memory.
So if you concider it abuse or not, thats up to you. You should know that there are many chubby kids out there with thin parents. IF it does happen, please make sure you handle it the right way. Its better for a kid to be chubby than for there self esteem to be ruined because their mom didnt think they were pretty enough. Get them into sports, cook healthy, but dont call them fat. Thats the WORST thing u can do. Putting them on a fad diet or much worse a TV show, could really ruin their self esteem. Im sad for them.

Amen. :flowerforyou:

HealthyChanges2010

I don't think there's anything wrong with the title. being politically correct about it won't help them. I saw the 17 year old girl in the previews, and she IS fat. FAT FAT FAT. Really fat. Sorry~ I'm sure she is a nice girl, and a charming person, but sugarcoating the fact that she is FAT isn't going to help her. Teaching her about diet and exercise will.

Perhaps the reason this post bothers me a bit more is because someone just mentioned you are a teacher ???!? I hope the kids taught there aren't called names like this by you or your staff. Imagine the low self-esteem they already feel from piers, family members and the shame they already carry within by being 'different' then the rest of the kids, let alone adults tossin' even more shame their way.

I'm still a bit saddened by this post, I've never read one that's quite so insensitive on this site. We're all working towards the same goal, getting fit. As you gained your weight over time, is this how you thought of yourself, "FAT FAT FAT. Really fat" and lazy? I hope not, because it only creates more self-hatred one has to then rid themselves of later in life.:noway:

HealthyChanges2010

I was a chunky kid. Both parents had to work, and I pretty much was allowed to eat whatever I wanted. A little neglectful? Yes. Abuse?? Very far from it. My brother is close to 500 lbs, he is 40 years old and he still blames my parents for giving him whatever he wanted. I say, grow up! Youre a big boy. My parents did give him whatever he wanted, and sad to say, the way they handled us being overweight ( the word FAT is wrong..it just is..especially when u are speaking about or too a child) was just wrong.
So I ask parents this, what would you do if youre child ended up overweight anyway? You know, they get to a certain age when they can go out with friends and buy whatever treats they want. Do you put a teenager on a diet? Because in my mind, thats a type of abuse too. I was put on slim fast when I was 10 years old...insane, and stupid. My father ( who I love, but did make mistakes) would tease me and call me fat. That word hurts!! One min I am allowed to eat whatever, then all of a sudden, I am bigger than all the othetr kids and I have to drink slim fast? You wanna know what happened when he teased me and thought he was helping me with tough love? I gained a lot more. I didnt lose the weight untill I gotto college and realized my parents were wrong. I think the teasing was abuse, because it made everything a lot worse. I still remember some of the things that my father and other so called adults said to me. They burn in my memory.
So if you concider it abuse or not, thats up to you. You should know that there are many chubby kids out there with thin parents. IF it does happen, please make sure you handle it the right way. Its better for a kid to be chubby than for there self esteem to be ruined because their mom didnt think they were pretty enough. Get them into sports, cook healthy, but dont call them fat. Thats the WORST thing u can do. Putting them on a fad diet or much worse a TV show, could really ruin their self esteem. Im sad for them.

Very nicely written, oviously from the heart! Yes, 'burned in memory' at no matter what age! It takes a lifetime to repair those wounds and I'm not so sure they ever really go away, some we still have to push away and back inside.

edorice

I gotta go wash this sweat off, but anybody watch the show last night?

SHBoss1673

I think the point of this thread should be (IMHO) not about what a teen feels when they are a teen or older, those emotions may be completely real, and completely valid, but they are secondary to the issue. When a child is 4 or 5 or 6 or even 10, they don't have the capacity to judge for themself what healthy food is without the guidance of an adult in a position to teach them. Unless their parent or guardian has paid or otherwise contracted someone else to teach their child, then it is their responsibility to make sure that child understands how to eat correctly, and to introduce that child to healthy foods. Allowing the child to learn to "hate" certain foods is no excuse. It's your job as a parent to find the healthy foods for them that they can eat, whether that be through gradual introduction, cajoling, or even through a heavy hand (like almost EVERY parent did before the last decade, I certainly remember mom saying "eat your vegetables or no TV for you tonight." I ate them!), there's a way to do it. Anything else is neglect on one level or another, "giving in" is not an option, EVER.

Once a child is 15 or 16 and can earn their own money, then it comes down to how they were brought up to that point. A child that has been correctly taught the value of food may still make the occasional bad choice, and in some cases, other emotional trauma may still trigger food as a defense mechanism, but we do the best we can as adults. I don't judge teens for being overweight, nor do I judge their parents, not without the full facts. I DO however, privately judge the parents of young children who are obese, that's a flaw, and I shouldn't without the full story, and I recognize this as a bad trait. But then I realize that there are flaws with every human emotion, and sometimes we must just recognize them, thus I know that while I shouldn't judge every parent of an obese child (young child), I know that in 90 to 95% of the cases, my judgement will be correct, and while I feel bad for the 5 or 10 % of parents I mistakenly condemn as "bad", I realize that maybe, if something is done, the other 90% of those children won't grow up with emotional issues that take years to resolve, and sometimes physical problems that can cause them to live unhealthy, unproductive, and shorter lives.

that's my take on the situation.

And yeah, when I see a mom in the grocery store with an obese child and I see pop tarts, a case of regular coke, Mac and Cheese boxes, and Sugar Smacks in their cart, it does make me angry a little inside. I'm sorry, that's just me. I don't like it, and there's nothing I can do to change that.

SP0472

I haven't seen the show and I'm not even sure it airs in Canada but I will say this...if a child weighs 500lbs at age 17 there is much more going on than just an abundance of bad food available. There has to be some emotional issues that are causing these children to overeat.

I was always heavy and we had healthy meals at home every day. My obesity had nothing to do with my parents buying bad food and letting me eat all day and all night. It had to do with being sexually and physically abused on a daily basis and nobody believing me so I ate to feel better. I was close to 200lbs by the time I reached grade 9. We had the treats - chips/pastries and the like but it was a treat, it wasnt the bulk of our meals. I would sneak food all the time [I would get up in the middle of the night and eat] and my abuser would actually bring me food - cookies, cake, all that for "after" as a treat.

Now..I'm not saying everyone fits into this situation. All I'm saying is that I find it hard to believe that food is the only cause of this issue with these kids. 500lbs at 17 - you can bet dollars to donuts that more is going on. I hope these kids are getting some kind of therapy along with the schooling and weight loss.

Tayx7

I do agree that parents are supposed to teach their children from a young age to enjoy vegetables, fruits, etc. rather than candy bars and other junk. That's a parent's responsibility. It totally pisses me off when I see an overweight mom at mcdonalds and her overweight 10 year old kids scarfing down big macs like they haven't ate in a month. That's flat out ridiculous. My brother's wife eats NOTHING but frozen chicken nuggets, frozen pizza, spaghetti-o, pop tarts, and little debbies. She is super skinny but a borderline diabetic. Her kids? They eat all that too. She doesn't even care and I feel bad that nobody ever taught her about eating right. I view it as child abuse.

Now, I'm going to turn the table upside down. I spend much of my childhood with my grandma who was terminally ill with cancer. My parents made mistakes in their lives and were facing the consequences for those decisions so she was all I had. With a background in the medical field, you'd think I ate perfectly healthy. No. Since she was sick beyond belief I got stuck eating tv dinners, chips, little debbies, etc. Why? She loved me. Really, she did. But things like that made it to where I was able to eat at all. At age 6-7, I was fully capable of using a microwave but not so much an oven/stove. So I was chubby kid for sure. Once I got older, it spread out and I was active and slightly overweight and still ate poorly but never out of control. I'm here due to medical related weight gain. Anyways, my point is ... I think its a bit offensive to say EVERY overweight kid is being neglected because that isn't truly always the case.

sillygoose1977

We are living in a society today where (a lot of) people are taking the easy way out of everything. This is adding up to disaster. Parents want to raise thier children with as little struggle as possible which equals giving in on so many things, whether it be discipline, toys, food, whatever. As long as it is easy. This all equals a whole generation of people who feel this sense of entitlement. This goes way beyond overweight children which in my opinion is a crime. I see so many overweight children younger than 10 and I live in the healthiest state in this country. Do I blame the parents? Abso-freaking-lutley. There is no excuse for your young child to be overweight except for a parent being too lazy to fight that battle. Is there any other battle worth fighting than the health of your child?? My daughter is so skinny that her pants fall off her butt everyday but I still teach her healthy food habits. I'm not saying she loves her broccoli, but she is aware that eating junk all the time is bad for her. Not just because it leads to weight problems but because it is bad for your overall health.

I am sorry if I offend anyone. I normally try to stay out of the controversial topics on this site but childhood obesity (I don't call kids fat-ever) just fires me right up. My parents raised me to make good choices and I was never overweight until I became an adult and made all my own bad decisions.

Also, I don't think I could watch a show that exploits the struggle of children (yes, teenagers are still children) Disgusting. Especially on the Style network??? Shouldn't they focus on style?