Morbid Obesity = Child Abuse

kalelwifey
kalelwifey Posts: 172
edited September 29 in Chit-Chat
So i was reading this article where they were stating that if its proved you cant control your childs weight it can be considered child abuse..now to my understanding this is most for extreme cases like a hundred lb 3 year old or something

What do you guys think bout it?

Alot of the arguement ive gotten is.....waht if they cant afford to feed kid healthy and all this or take them to play outside because work so much and ....everything else...but...since we all are aware that even in a world with lots of fatty un ealthy food there are always choices...I wanna know your thoughts.

Replies

  • yoghurtand
    yoghurtand Posts: 119
    I really think it depends. Sometimes parents just don't notice these things, strange as it may seem. I think when the child's health is suffering adversely, (eg respiratory problems, bowed legs) it's definitely something that needs to be looked at, but I don't know that I would call it abuse unless they are literally shoving food down their children's throats and force-feeding them even when they don't want it. 'Neglect' is probably the strongest word I would ever likely use - the same as if a child had bad teeth from not brushing.

    Also, some parents just don't know what to do about it. Not everyone has access to good food and safe play places. By the time the child is very large, it may be difficult to implement a weight maintenance/loss strategy. And I think it's much more awful to make it so that all a child can think about is weight loss. It can give them life long esteem and weight issues.
  • RoadDog
    RoadDog Posts: 2,946 Member
    I want the government to stay the hell out of my home.
  • Li55yL1n
    Li55yL1n Posts: 4 Member
    I want the government to stay the hell out of my home.

    I agree. I admit though that when I see an extremely overweight child it makes me angry. As an overweight adult, I am responsible for what I have allowed myself to become, but that child is not. I am very mixed about this. Parents need to grow up and parent instead of buying their kids off with food, toys, and other nonsense.
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    I want the government to stay the hell out of my home.

    Agree!
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    I think this is based on good intentions, while I don't really know what I think about whether or not our government should butt into our personal lives, I do understand that they see a problem and they want to fix it... It is the same with children failing in classes. Instead of blaming the school or the teachers, we need to look a little closer to home...

    Rasing your child right starts at home, and letting them get into trouble, fail classes, and become Extremely overweight is most certainly neglect. And if you have control over the situation and decide to do nothing about it, and it is hurting them physically then it is most certainly leading towards abuse.

    I understand there are medical issues that cause weight gain and that is a totally different subject.

    I also understand that parents have to work, I understand that there may not be safe places to play I understand that finances are tight especially in the current economical down slide we are at right now. BUT I also understand that parents use these as a crutch sometimes (not all parents) Working and being a mom/dad is a LOT of hard work, so that may require coming home from working 9 hours and STILL being required to cook a healthy meal, not just swing through mcdonalds on the way home. It also may require going for a family walk at night.

    There are ways to combat the epidemic that is spreading rapidly. We just have to want it bad enough. I don't blame the government for wanting to fix it... America is gaining a reputation and quite honestly its kinda silly when it is remedied quite simply, not easily, but simply).

    anyways those are my opinions. Take it for what it is worth.
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
    I want the government to stay the hell out of my home.

    I agree. I admit though that when I see an extremely overweight child it makes me angry. As an overweight adult, I am responsible for what I have allowed myself to become, but that child is not. I am very mixed about this. Parents need to grow up and parent instead of buying their kids off with food, toys, and other nonsense.

    Ditto on both counts. I can see how the govenment might need to be involved in severe cases...but damn...I want them out of my life as much as possible.
  • ashleynicoleb
    ashleynicoleb Posts: 376 Member
    I'm really unsure of all of this. I feel like it's a very, very slippery slope with so much government regulation. It's sad that adults can't be responsible enough and something like this has to be proposed. I don't believe the government should be telling people what to do in their own personal lives, though.
  • pumpkinmoccasin
    pumpkinmoccasin Posts: 316
    I think if it's extreme enough child services will remove the child under "failure to thrive" grounds (originally used for super malnourished kids) since they can get so sick... Do you remember that girl that was on the Maury show a long time ago, the 230lb 5 year old? By the time she was 7 she weighed over 400 lbs and couldn't walk because her legs bowed under her weight... She was removed from her home and placed in an obesity clinic and they got her down to a normal weight, but she still has to undergo physical therapy because her legs didn't develop correctly...

    Stuff like that, I think, is completely insane and definitely child abuse... Even if the parents have the best intentions, it's definitely neglect. That girl's mother openly admits that she feels terribly guilty because she didn't know what to do about her kid getting so fat so she just let it go.

    Now... For extreme cases where development is an issue, yeah, I think kids should be removed from the home on grounds of abuse, but when your kid is in the obese range maybe some nutritional intervention is called for. I was a pretty fat kid despite my mom trying really hard to make me lose weight, but she just didn't know how nutrition/weightloss worked so I flailed around for a very, very long time and have always had weight issues... Had she known what I know now about nutrition would it have helped? Most likely... I was a stubborn kid, though, and a little spoiled and my feelings were easily hurt... I can see how that could be a scenario in a lot of these cases.

    Man... I'm rambling. What was I talking about again? :embarassed:
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
    I think if it's extreme enough child services will remove the child under "failure to thrive" grounds (originally used for super malnourished kids) since they can get so sick... Do you remember that girl that was on the Maury show a long time ago, the 230lb 5 year old? By the time she was 7 she weighed over 400 lbs and couldn't walk because her legs bowed under her weight... She was removed from her home and placed in an obesity clinic and they got her down to a normal weight, but she still has to undergo physical therapy because her legs didn't develop correctly...

    Stuff like that, I think, is completely insane and definitely child abuse... Even if the parents have the best intentions, it's definitely neglect. That girl's mother openly admits that she feels terribly guilty because she didn't know what to do about her kid getting so fat so she just let it go.

    Now... For extreme cases where development is an issue, yeah, I think kids should be removed from the home on grounds of abuse, but when your kid is in the obese range maybe some nutritional intervention is called for. I was a pretty fat kid despite my mom trying really hard to make me lose weight, but she just didn't know how nutrition/weightloss worked so I flailed around for a very, very long time and have always had weight issues... Had she known what I know now about nutrition would it have helped? Most likely... I was a stubborn kid, though, and a little spoiled and my feelings were easily hurt... I can see how that could be a scenario in a lot of these cases.

    Man... I'm rambling. What was I talking about again? :embarassed:

    I totally see your point!

    BTW- LOVE the Totoro ticker!!!!
  • pumpkinmoccasin
    pumpkinmoccasin Posts: 316

    I totally see your point!

    BTW- LOVE the Totoro ticker!!!!

    Thanks! :D And I'm glad that made sense, sometimes when I type for too long I just assume that it doesn't lol
  • kalelwifey
    kalelwifey Posts: 172
    I think if it's extreme enough child services will remove the child under "failure to thrive" grounds (originally used for super malnourished kids) since they can get so sick... Do you remember that girl that was on the Maury show a long time ago, the 230lb 5 year old? By the time she was 7 she weighed over 400 lbs and couldn't walk because her legs bowed under her weight... She was removed from her home and placed in an obesity clinic and they got her down to a normal weight, but she still has to undergo physical therapy because her legs didn't develop correctly...

    Stuff like that, I think, is completely insane and definitely child abuse... Even if the parents have the best intentions, it's definitely neglect. That girl's mother openly admits that she feels terribly guilty because she didn't know what to do about her kid getting so fat so she just let it go.

    Now... For extreme cases where development is an issue, yeah, I think kids should be removed from the home on grounds of abuse, but when your kid is in the obese range maybe some nutritional intervention is called for. I was a pretty fat kid despite my mom trying really hard to make me lose weight, but she just didn't know how nutrition/weightloss worked so I flailed around for a very, very long time and have always had weight issues... Had she known what I know now about nutrition would it have helped? Most likely... I was a stubborn kid, though, and a little spoiled and my feelings were easily hurt... I can see how that could be a scenario in a lot of these cases.

    Man... I'm rambling. What was I talking about again? :embarassed:


    Exactly...i dont thinkl they mean to remove any overweight kid...we are talking Serious health issues here
  • jamie78
    jamie78 Posts: 514 Member
    As a parent I can say that it isn't easy all the time to feed your kids healthy meals. I do try however and I talk to them about nutrition because I wish I would have known more when I was younger. Neither one of my children are thin thin. My son does have a little Buddha belly on him now. But he use to be super thin and couldn't eat a whole lot because of sever food allergies. and now that he has been on meds for a couple years now to control it he is a little heavier then he should be but only by bout 10 pounds. He is still not a big eater. I bet most days he doesn't even eat over 1000 calories. I think/know sometimes medications can play a big role in childrens weights too. Because I really don't allow my children junk food like they never get cokes (because they have no nutritional value what so ever and are nothing but sugar and caffeine and kids don't need them!, They use to hate that other kids got to drink them and they didnt but now they don't care.) every once in a while they may get chips or candy but that's maybe 2 times a month.
    My daughter is very athletic and is still on the chunky side. She also eats pretty healthy.. But there are times she eats too much of the healthy stuff too.( like on Monday she thought she could eat 4 hard boiled eggs!!). SO I have been working with her and getting her to understand more about food and nutrition, and just being over all healthy. She plays volleyball, basketball, track and golf and is also a cheerleader so right now lack of exercise is not an issue for her. But she still isn't thin like most of her friends, who do eat junk food and drink cokes everyday..

    ok now that I have rambled on.. I think people really need to look at the situation before they just automatically assume its poor eating habits or exercise habits that cause children to be over weight because sometimes its a medical issue or genetics that are causing these children to be over weight and not just bad parenting.
    Oh and I don't want the government anywhere near my house! And I don't think they will do any better of a job with this then they are doing with anything else right now... if anything we will just be more in debt!
  • kailyamie
    kailyamie Posts: 130
    It doesn't hold up in court. We had a custody hearing over my step-son a few years back and my husband had his ex-wife's bank records requested to prove to the court that she was literally eating out 2 and 3 times a day and taking him to McDonalds 4 and 5 times a week, and the judge basically acted like it didn't matter. He said it was a non-issue - but his son had gained a lot of weight and had a lot of health issues. We had taken him to the doctor for many health problems over that year and we attributed a lot of it to the fact that he doesn't eat any decent food. He was eating fast food almost exclusively, or chips and drank a LOT of soda. That was all he drank, soda soda soda... at 4 and 5 this was really not healthy. But it was considered a non-issue in court and they wouldn't hear my husband's arguments about it. Luckily, he spends a LOT more time with us now and we feed him healthy food and make him get out and exercise. In fact, recently he told my husband that he has a "healthy house" and a "sweet house." I have been teaching him about reading the labels on foods and understanding nutrition and watching out for high-sugar choices like soda and instead drink water. I'm hoping to have a good influence on him so that he doesn't have long-term weight issues, but the court sure didn't think it was an issue.
  • Katherine1687
    Katherine1687 Posts: 106 Member
    I work in a primary school and supervise lunch times and some of the thins the children have in their lunch boxes are staggering.

    One 4 year old used to bring in 3 sandwiches, packet of crisps, adult sized chocolate bar, yougurt and 2 apples and occasionaly a cake as well!! Needless to say she was overweight! Parents do have control over their childrens diet at this age. 4 year olds do not have money or freedom to go to the sweet shop whenever they feel like it. Parents should learn to say no (she always got what she wanted in everything else as well)!!

    Hopefuly by starting good habits young they will continue them when they get old enough to go out on their own with money!!
  • Danigirl1028
    Danigirl1028 Posts: 12
    It's getting scary. I don't have any children but I was brought up eating what was put in front of me. I don't agree with that but I also don't agree with letting your child eat anything they want. I have a set of friends that have a 9 year old who eats what he wants he is I believe 125-135lbs wearing adult clothes. He wears mostly sweat pants and shorts. He's only 9 all he usually eats is pizza, cheeseburgers, fries, and junk food. He used to get a treat once a week if he tried a new food. The best part is they just did this mail away shopping thing where they spent a considerable amount of money for food to last them 6 months or more but they still eat out at least 3 times a week. In as long as I've know them I don't think I've ever seen him eat anything other than what I listed above. I often wonder his doctor hasn't said anything. Other than the parents isn't the doctor suppose to be looking out for the child. It will only get worse if he keeps on this path and then when he's an adult he will have so many problems.
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    don't start me on this one, I work in child health and my opinions will upset a lot of the people on here.

    One point only, children are very rarely overweight due to health reasons, this is a misconception. It is VERY unusual. Children are over weight for the same reason adults are, they eat too much (and it doesn't have to be junk, you can eat too much of healthy stuff too) and they do too little. Bottom line.

    A child is NOT responsible for it's diet and fitness, that is what parents are for.

    I will shut up now.
  • halobender
    halobender Posts: 780 Member
    I want the government to stay the hell out of my home.

    I agree. I admit though that when I see an extremely overweight child it makes me angry. As an overweight adult, I am responsible for what I have allowed myself to become, but that child is not. I am very mixed about this. Parents need to grow up and parent instead of buying their kids off with food, toys, and other nonsense.

    Ditto on both counts. I can see how the govenment might need to be involved in severe cases...but damn...I want them out of my life as much as possible.
    Word.

    So my breaking point is ... my step-aunt & uncle are extremely heavy set. They both have to be 350+. My step uncle is a mountain of a man, standing around 6'4" or so, but he's got a huge belly. The aunt is around 5'4". Yikes. They have seven children (I think ... I know it's AT LEAST that many) who have all been 200+ by second grade. Their son, who is around the same age as my younger brother, so maybe 22 now, was the same weight as me when I was 7 and he was 2!

    I know that their girls have been extremely self-conscious about their massive size all their lives.

    I think that in this case it is child abuse, as they made them "finish [their] plate," having piled it three inches high every time ...

    Anyway, I'm all for keep the government out of my house in almost every case, but I do think that the proper raising of children is necessary for society. Ugh, massive slippery slope there. And they're always willing to re-draw that line they're not supposed to cross.

    Oh, and last I heard, that 22 year old is 6'4" and weighs 500+.
  • stlgrl76
    stlgrl76 Posts: 3 Member
    Same here!!!!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories