Opinions on childhood obesity...

glovepuppet

child abuse.

often the parents are obese too, and telling the child that the child isn't fat. it's an ostrich attitude. a way of denying that they themselves also have a problem.

i would be arrested if i let my 11y/o smoke, but it's fine to feed him nothing but junk food.

PANZERIA

For me, childhood obesity is a black and white subject - child abuse. The end.

The PARENTS control what the kid does, and what comes into the house, and what kind of eating habits these kids will have. If they are obese, the parents should take the full blame and, to a radical extent, I think they should be charged with child abuse.

Here's my personal reason.

My aunt is massively obese (350-400lbs). Her children have always been heavy and there is no excuse. They are now fully grow and MASSIVE. I think my one cousin is actually pushing 500lbs and it is ALL her fault. She never taught them how to eat properly, she encouraged eating unhealthy foods and unhealthy/lazy habits, and she wouldn't LET them play sports. They were 'too violent' for her.

With all of the information out there, if someone has excessively overweight kids (I'm talking 200lbs at 10 years old here), there is no excuse to be this way. None. And with all the health risks of being overweight, not to mention the emotional and mental risks, I seriously think it should be a chargeable offence.

I also think the same of dog owners who have fat dogs. You control what goes into this dogs body, so therefore, it's your fault they are fat. The end.

Like I said, my opinion on this is very black and white and it may be too extreme for some.

PANZERIA

I blame it on society for taking away the stigma of being fat. We're all into building up a child's self esteem and if that kid is overweight, well we try to make that okay. But it's not okay. It's wrong, it's bad for the kid and if he doesn't slim down pretty soon, he's in it for the long haul.

Love this. Perfectly said.

archgrrrl

For me, childhood obesity is a black and white subject - child abuse. The end.

The PARENTS control what the kid does, and what comes into the house, and what kind of eating habits these kids will have. If they are obese, the parents should take the full blame and, to a radical extent, I think they should be charged with child abuse.

Here's my personal reason.

My aunt is massively obese (350-400lbs). Her children have always been heavy and there is no excuse. They are now fully grow and MASSIVE. I think my one cousin is actually pushing 500lbs and it is ALL her fault. She never taught them how to eat properly, she encouraged eating unhealthy foods and unhealthy/lazy habits, and she wouldn't LET them play sports. They were 'too violent' for her.

With all of the information out there, if someone has excessively overweight kids (I'm talking 200lbs at 10 years old here), there is no excuse to be this way. None. And with all the health risks of being overweight, not to mention the emotional and mental risks, I seriously think it should be a chargeable offence.

I also think the same of dog owners who have fat dogs. You control what goes into this dogs body, so therefore, it's your fault they are fat. The end.

Like I said, my opinion on this is very black and white and it may be too extreme for some.

Perhaps once you gain a little more life experience and maturity, complex issues won't seem so "black and white" to you.

Nutrition1st

When I was growing up, the information was simply not there. There's no excuse now. It's our responsibility as parents to educate our children and to guide them into a healthy lifestyle. I couldn't imagine how I would feel if one of my children became a diabetic as a teenager b/c I ignored their obesity as a youth! If you need educational resources, inbox me. I run a non profit nutrition company and our primary focus obesity education and prevention. You should really watch this video.

http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/films/main-films/Crisis. It's bad enough that McDonalds and other fast food places spend Billions in research to figure out ways to entice our children in to eating junk food.

karenjoy

fault of the parents, that is the bottom line, all other reasons are just excuses, a child does not buy the food, does not control its own diet and does not control what goes on its plate, or how much it walks and don't get me started on this or I won't stop..............

amytag

I was a fat kid, and I think it was part of my body makeup, not really my parents' faults - my mom is thin, and my dad was heavy but lost 80 lbs and has kept it off for 20+ years, so they were/are inspirational.

As a parent, I'm extremely sensitive about making sure my kids eat healthy, and even more importantly, stay physically active EVERY day. No video games in our house. They spend time outside running and being kids every day. Both kids are in the healthy weight range with no sign of trouble so far. We don't ban ALL junk food. We do ban soda, and I don't keep things like cakes, cookies, chips in the house. Typical snacks are cheese cubes, granola bars, fruit and carrot sticks. Giving them this habit early on will hopefully set them up for a happy, healthy childhood and adulthood.

Back in the 80's when I grew up, tv commercials made it seem like sugary cereal was healthy! And I also drank sweet tea like water, ugh.

AnninStPaul

My opinion - parents are too soft on kids now a days. You are the PARENT not the FRIEND, buck up and take it away. Yeah, they're not going to like it at first, but they will get over it. Kids need to be guided and sometimes you, as a parent, have to be a hard *kitten* if you want your child to behave, do what they're told, be a good kid, follow the rules, eat what they don't like, etc.

^^BINGO. Many people don't parent, they pacify.

enyo123

The PARENTS control what the kid does, and what comes into the house, and what kind of eating habits these kids will have. If they are obese, the parents should take the full blame and, to a radical extent, I think they should be charged with child abuse.

To some extent. You can't FORCE a kid to eat things. I tried to push the issue with my fifteen year old when he was five. I was going to MAKE him eat that broccoli. He ate it all right... and made himself throw up on the table. My two year old will throw things that he doesn't like on the floor and will go hungry before eating something "ucky." (This is why I keep other things around that are healthy that he will eat.)

Sure, I can keep things out, but I can't force good eating. I'm going to guess that you don't have children. Once you have your own, you realize that everything is not as black and white as you seem to think.

Bobby_Clerici

The PARENTS control what the kid does, and what comes into the house, and what kind of eating habits these kids will have. If they are obese, the parents should take the full blame and, to a radical extent, I think they should be charged with child abuse.

To some extent. You can't FORCE a kid to eat things. I tried to push the issue with my fifteen year old when he was five. I was going to MAKE him eat that broccoli. He ate it all right... and made himself throw up on the table. My two year old will throw things that he doesn't like on the floor and will go hungry before eating something "ucky." (This is why I keep other things around that are healthy that he will eat.)

Sure, I can keep things out, but I can't force good eating. I'm going to guess that you don't have children. Once you have your own, you realize that everything is not as black and white as you seem to think.

Wrong.
As I already mentioned, success is a choice - no excuses.
First, none of my kids are fat but very fit - head and shoulders above 90% of their peers.
We have 5 kids.
I make them train and eat what I prepare, and we allow no junk food, soda or TV.
They indeed carp, and my response is always the same.
Eat what I make, or eat NOTHING, and in extreme cases taste belt leather.
End of story.
I refuse to raise what I see too much of in American society: fat, underachieving kids who will grow up to be fat, unhappy adults.
They can hate me now to love me later or whatever. It's not a popularity contest.
As a parent, I have a job to do.

EmilyMarieMo

Very interesting feedback. Good to see multiple sides and stories...

Our children are only young once, and it is our job as parents to provide for their needs when young. Health is a huge need. So the chicken nuggets and french fries may satisfy hunger quickly, but not health.

I am that family that is overworked-underpaid, two kids in day care while both parents work and commute long hours... and MANY times we result to the fast easy meals. But I completely see how it is possible to still do things the right way more times than the wrong way if you just make it a priority. So what if we are tired and underpaid... ultimately, there are still ways to teach and provide good things on a majority of the time basis. Being prepared and keeping priorities straight can help make that happen.

Make time to grocery shop and plan meals and snacks out ahead of time for the week. Even involve the kids input on the menus and budget as a learning opportunity...

I see many areas of my lifestyle and parenting that still need to improve. And honestly, I'll admit when I do make poor parenting choices... it comes down to my own laziness! We can't all be perfect, but recognizing how my choices affect my children’s life, sure helps bring me back in line! Sure wish more parents would make the same efforts to look past what’s convenient and fast them and do what’s GOOD for the child more often! I know that’s something I hope to continue to improve in my life… and my kids’ are not overweight! But I understand, as the parent, I continue to set the pathway for the future…

kelseyhere

As someone who babysat a lot of different kids from a lot of different families, I support the argument that it is definitely the parents fault. Sure kids have access to junk at school, and our school lunch programs have great room for improvement, but the majority of eating is done in the home. I babysat one family where the mom would order us Schawan's evrytime. For a 10 year old, a 5 year, and myself, she would order 2 pepperoni pizzas and a 1/2 gallon of chocolate ice cream and expected us to eat it all (I mean really?!). Each of the kids would devour half the pizza alone with about a cup of ranch each. The 5-year-old consistently out ate ME the full-grown, high school athlete babysitter.

Another family I sat for had 2 small girls. In this family they never had junk in the house. The girls usually only ate at meal times but if we did have a snack, they always asked for carrot sticks or grapes. Junk food wasn't even in their vocabulary. As they got older and went to school they still avoided the junk because they just didn't have a taste for it. They preferred their healthy lunches over the junk their schoolmates were eating.

These two families are at opposite ends of the spectrum, and it just shows how if from birth you set a good example, your kids will follow. I am still in contact with both of these families and the girls (now teenagers) are normal and healthy. The two boys are both severely obese and the older one is even pre-diabetic. He's only 20. It makes me very sad.

I also agree that part of the problem is that parents tell their kids it's OK to be fat. The obese 20-year-old I mentioned, from the time he was 2 his mom told him it was OK to be fat and people were wrong for judging him. It may sound cruel, but I fault her for not telling him to kick his a** in gear. Maybe those aren't the right words to use with a child, but either way it never should have got this bad. He's currently pushing 450 lbs. Fat is not OK, especially when it's a child.

Parents need to stop blaming the abundance of fast food and junk food. It's ignorance and it makes me sick. Buy healthy stuff, shop your local farmer's market, and the fast food joints will eventually start to diminish. They aren't forcing their unhealthy food on you, you are allowing their business to thrive by eating there.

Bobby_Clerici

As someone who babysat a lot of different kids from a lot of different families, I support the argument that it is definitely the parents fault. Sure kids have access to junk at school, and our school lunch programs have great room for improvement, but the majority of eating is done in the home. I babysat one family where the mom would order us Schawan's evrytime. For a 10 year old, a 5 year, and myself, she would order 2 pepperoni pizzas and a 1/2 gallon of chocolate ice cream and expected us to eat it all (I mean really?!). Each of the kids would devour half the pizza alone with about a cup of ranch each. The 5-year-old consistently out ate ME the full-grown, high school athlete babysitter.

Another family I sat for had 2 small girls. In this family they never had junk in the house. The girls usually only ate at meal times but if we did have a snack, they always asked for carrot sticks or grapes. Junk food wasn't even in their vocabulary. As they got older and went to school they still avoided the junk because they just didn't have a taste for it. They preferred their healthy lunches over the junk their schoolmates were eating.

These two families are at opposite ends of the spectrum, and it just shows how if from birth you set a good example, your kids will follow. I am still in contact with both of these families and the girls (now teenagers) are normal and healthy. The two boys are both severely obese and the older one is even pre-diabetic. He's only 20. It makes me very sad.

I also agree that part of the problem is that parents tell their kids it's OK to be fat. The obese 20-year-old I mentioned, from the time he was 2 his mom told him it was OK to be fat and people were wrong for judging him. It may sound cruel, but I fault her for not telling him to kick his a** in gear. Maybe those aren't the right words to use with a child, but either way it never should have got this bad. He's currently pushing 450 lbs. Fat is not OK, especially when it's a child.

Parents need to stop blaming the abundance of fast food and junk food. It's ignorance and it makes me sick. Buy healthy stuff, shop your local farmer's market, and the fast food joints will eventually start to diminish. They aren't forcing their unhealthy food on you, you are allowing their business to thrive by eating there.

People excel at shirking responsibility.
The only problem with this is that if I were to blame President Obama for my kid being fat, then I'd also look to President Obama for the solution.
And my kid would get fatter, I'd become even more detached, and society suffers.
This is what is happening in a general sense.
Parents are pointing the finger at everything except the one thing they have control of: THEMSELVES!

Tricialew32

This is kind of off track but I was sorting through some old family photos yesterday and I came across my mother's senior class photo....from 1950!
There was not one overweight student in that photo (out 119 students)
They came from a semi rural town in Virgina
There was a Soda shoppe in that town but no fast food.
Not every household had a TV.
Most kids helped around the house/farm/neighborhood
Every kid rode a bike because if their families had a car...dad or mom usually took it to work.

I read recently that what the average American piles on their dinner plate in one sitting would have fed a family of 4 in 1950.
I wonder about all that.

EmilyMarieMo

This is kind of off track but I was sorting through some old family photos yesterday and I came across my mother's senior class photo....from 1950!
There was not one overweight student in that photo (out 119 students)
They came from a semi rural town in Virgina
There was a Soda shoppe in that town but no fast food.
Not every household had a TV.
Most kids helped around the house/farm/neighborhood
Every kid rode a bike because if their families had a car...dad or mom usually took it to work.

interesting! Thanks!

Bobby_Clerici

This is kind of off track but I was sorting through some old family photos yesterday and I came across my mother's senior class photo....from 1950!
There was not one overweight student in that photo (out 119 students)
They came from a semi rural town in Virgina
There was a Soda shoppe in that town but no fast food.
Not every household had a TV.
Most kids helped around the house/farm/neighborhood
Every kid rode a bike because if their families had a car...dad or mom usually took it to work.

I read recently that what the average American piles on their dinner plate in one sitting would have fed a family of 4 in 1950.
I wonder about all that.

This was a different America - a totally alien culture.
This was the WWII generation - not the hand-wringing, sniveling crybabies brought up by the "baby-boomers".
Much has changed, and today, taking ownership of your life and tapping into self-empowerment is not the norm.
Back then, people knew no other way to live.

karenjoy

I work in child health, I hear all the excuses made by parents, all the denial, all the reasons........

EmilyMarieMo

This is kind of off track but I was sorting through some old family photos yesterday and I came across my mother's senior class photo....from 1950!
There was not one overweight student in that photo (out 119 students)
They came from a semi rural town in Virgina
There was a Soda shoppe in that town but no fast food.
Not every household had a TV.
Most kids helped around the house/farm/neighborhood
Every kid rode a bike because if their families had a car...dad or mom usually took it to work.

I read recently that what the average American piles on their dinner plate in one sitting would have fed a family of 4 in 1950.
I wonder about all that.

This was a different America - a totally alien culture.
This was the WWII generation - not the hand-wringing, sniveling crybabies brought up by the "baby-boomers".
Much has changed, and today, taking ownership of your life and tapping into self-empowerment is not the norm.
Back then, people knew no other way to live.

What the heck caused baby boomer parents to change parenting from the way they were parented to be so much more laxed on upbringing of kids and less willing to discipline? (this probably is off topic from the childhood obesity exactly... but I know it plays a role in it.)

I was raised by a baby boomer parent... but my mom, and her two siblings were overweight growing up, and my grandparents never were by much at all until they hit their middle aged to older years. I obviously don't know exactly how my grandparents parented my parents... but my dad's parents were losers who never paid him any attention, and I know for sure he strived to parent better than what he received. But my mom's parents SEEM to have raised her the same as she and my dad raised my brother and me. Our morals, values, education... all good... but eating habits suck. Still to this day my grandmother thinks we have to have dessert with everything AND eat it first! We are from Texas, so I don't know if it's the fact of southern traditional fried foods and sweets that was part of my family's issue... but I do know the comfort eating was a big role for sure. You "cured" everything with food in my family!

BLSaw

Parents do need to spend more time watching what thiers kids eat, but also Kids need to be educated to do and eat the right things. I was big all my life and it was my fault. My dad was always skinny, i just used food to deal with things. Had to learn better outlets for stress.

vim_n_vigor

if you let your kid get fat, that's abuse.

my best friend was overweight when we were younger - and still is. her sister tormented her. it was terrible.

i never want that for my children.

Well, careful here, my children could technically be counted as underweight. Does that mean I am abusing them? They eat more than I do most days. They just are very active. At what point of obesity is it abuse? Some kids get really big before a growth spurt. One of my nephews looked like a butterball turkey, then he had a really big growth spurt and has been a twig ever since. I am not exaggerating on the sizes either. His rolls had rolls that had rolls on them. Was he being abused at that time? No, that is how his body prepared for his growth spurt.

That being said, I don't like seeing horribly overweight kids. There are many more now than even 10 years ago. And there is a huge lack of people (not just kids) dressing appropriately for their shapes, sizes and environments. I work in a very conservative office. Some days I look at some of the younger people and feel like we should be headed to the night club or the street corner.