Should Childhood Obesity Be Considered Child Abuse?

[EllieLexis513]

So I enjoy watching documentaries on YouTube, especially ones about obesity like Supersize vs. Superskinny and My 600lb. Life. I came across this clip from Our America with Lisa Ling and it interested me. Childhood obesity is growing at an alarming rate, and not just in the US. Most developed countries are fighting the obesity epidemic, especially the UK and America.

People have thought that childhood obesity should be considered child abuse even though obesity usually doesn't impact a child's health until they're in their early 20's, if that. Also, some people say that even though parents are responsible for what is on the table, that doesn't control what their child eats outside of their house. For instance, at school, students have access to different foods and their friends bring in food from their house that they share. Also some kids just overeat when their parent isn't looking, even though the parent is providing proper nutrition and portion sizes at the dinner table.

Others say it's the parents responsibility and if they can't get their child under control, then it should be reported to child protective services. So what do you think? Should childhood obesity be considered child abuse or neglect?

Yes, parents need to take responsibility

No, parents can't control what their kids eat all the time

Depends on the severity of the situation

People need to just mind their own business

[angelicb]

Some kids just can't lose weight. I don't think the parent should be held accountable. We're surrounded by processed foods everywhere we go, and sugar is addictive.
Especially for lower income families, eating healthy is expensive. Why spend over $30 on a fresh dinner when you can spend under half that by getting fast food and have money for later? In addition to that, sports are expensive as well. I'm all for getting children to exercise, but when it comes down to it only 20% of weight is affected by exercise.
As for school, just because there are healthier options doesn't mean anything. Children are young, of course they're going to pick what tastes the best to them. On top of that, as recently graduating from high school, the healthier options usually have smaller portion sizes. So after a meal, it's almost as if you haven't eaten and feel the need to once your home again.
Parents CAN help their children if they're struggling from obesity, but you can't hold them accountable. I've seen parents juggle healthy eating, doctor visits, sports and personal trainers and still see their child struggle. I've never met a parent who didn't want the best for their child, if they're struggling most likely a parents is trying to fix/help them.

[Regulatus]

"Some kids just can't lose weight."

What were the parents doing while the weight was being gained in the first place?

[Righttobeararms83]

@Regulatus thats bang on the money.

[mermaidrocketship]

Schools can't be held responsible for overweight children. Kids only eat one meal there, and the rest at home. Parents need to step up and take responsibility, especially in cases like this where the child's weight is hazardous to their health. Unless the child has a health abnormality that prevents them from losing weight, the parents should definitely be reported. Allowing your child to gain weight without trying to curb it is negligence. And what the mother in this video is saying is total BS. I'm black, and we eat "soul food", but everyone knows that you have to eat fresh vegetables and that you can't eat that way all of the time. You don't need to be taught that certain diets will make you gain weight. People need to start using common sense. This is ridiculous. Fried cabbage. Smh. The only one with any sense here is Brianna. But she can't lose the weight without her parents' intervention, unfortunately.

[EllieLexis513]

Actually, students can have up to three meals at a school depending on where they are. The high school I work at serves breakfast and lunch along with snacks and leftovers are served after school for students who have to wait for a ride.

[mermaidrocketship]

So I've been to a school recently and spent all day there. They don't give the kids enough food to make them morbidly obese. There's three french toast sticks and juice for breakfast, maybe a piece of pizza/milk/fruit for lunch. No snacks. At least where I live, portions are ridiculously small, and there's more fruit than anything. And that was an elementary school. That's where childhood obesity becomes a huge problem, when parental responsibility (teaching good food habits, like eating when you're hungry and helping kids curb emotional eating) matters. Yes, things may be different at the high school, but that's the point where parents aren't held accountable for their child's weight.

[Righttobeararms83]

Your right about parents being ultimately responsible for their kids diet. In saying that schools should provide healthy meal and soda and candy machines shouldn't be in school grounds. In France an actual chef provides healthy meals and kids only get water.

[EllieLexis513]

@Righttobeararms83 That's actually how it is now. Not the healthy meal part, but candy and soda machines are not permitted in our schools, at least, not in Ohio. I don't know if the entire US is like that though.

[Righttobeararms83]

I think Michelle Obama was a big influence in getting soda and candy machines out of school's, I wouldn't be a fan of her husband but I have to give her much credit for that.

[EllieLexis513]

@Righttobeararms83 Well, that became a state law when I was a sophomore in high school and that was 2006. But I think she has influenced other places to do the same.

[Righttobeararms83]

thats one thing of can approve of as we can't feed kids unhealthy foods and snacks and wonder why we have a child obesity problem.

[Rocket_Queen]

I think it depends maybe. I would guess that a lot of the morbidly obese children are living off of fast food, or meals of convenience which leads me to believe that they probably come from lower income families with 2 parents working full time to try and make ends meet or one parent working over full time to try to make ends meet. So they probably are getting home late and juggling a lot. Could they do better? Probably. As for eating healthy, I think it can be done for the same cost as buying junk, the only difference is the junknis convenient and the healthy food you must prepare. Also labeling it child abuse in an already overloaded failing system would just take time/effort/energy away from children who are being raped, beat, living in drug houses which we already have a hard enough time getting taken care of. So I think for those reasons, it would be too extreme.

[Anonymous]

I dont think there is a right answer to this. If the family is giving the kid McDonalds, cake, chips and everything sugar and carbs all day everyday then yes. There are other factors though; some kids buy their own junk food at the store, maybe at school or from another friend without the parents knowing. It is one thing to give the kid McDonalds as a treat like maybe they got good grade and thats their reward but everyday? No one should be doing that. I think a lot of these kids and the parents need to speak with a shrink about why they feel the need to just eat, other things like sitting on your butt playing video games and of course sitting in school all day doesn't help. You got to get up and move!

[Righttobeararms83]

well said except for the kid sneaking treats at school, I dont think most obese kids would have enough cash everyday for it to make a difference. My view is that kids these days play all day on their xboxes and iPhones and get no exercise, snacks a lot between meals, parents feed kids too often especially if they get no exercise, parents give them fattening foods and feed them adult size portions that maybe a bodybuilder would eat.

[madhatters4]

what happens when a child is genetically predisposed to being heavier
what if the child sneaks food
what if the child literally refuses to eat healthy food

i think there's too many variables that could cause big issues. i think parents that irresponsibly feed their kids garbage should perhaps be in line for some sort of consequence but i don't think we could fairly make a law legislating it

[Righttobeararms83]

If a child is predisposed to being heavier all the more reason for parents to make sure that child get plenty of exercise and a good diet. This excuse for childhood obesity is too often used.
Where is the child sneaking food from the trash, all thr more reason to empty all junk food from the house.
what if the child refuses to eat healthy food? well what you dont do is cave in to the demands of a child after all your the parent and you have to stick to uour gund.
Personally if the parents refuse to help their child then the child should be helped directly from the state as the child is still grow and it can't be left until too late.

[madhatters4]

@Righttobeararms83 so if the child is predisposed to being heavier. and the parents make sure the kid gets plenty of exercise and eats healthy and the child is still obese... then what? they still get convicted of child abuse?
if the child has a glandular problem or hormonal imbalance... if the child is sneaking unhealthy foods, or if the child is with people that aren't the parents that give them unhealthy foods... etc etc

the simple problem with trying to legislate punishment is that there are too many grey areas. so unless we want to bog down our law enforcement and court system with tons of cases with lots of room for discrepancy then i think making childhood obesity an offense that parents can be prosecuted for is a rather perilous thing

[Righttobeararms83]

How much unhealthy food would a child have to sneak for their diet and necessary exercise to not make a difference? Two big macks. If the kid is predispositioned to gain weight a doctor can discern that and all the more reason for the child to eat healthier and exercise.
Even if the court system was bogged down at least those kids would be taken away and put on healthy diets and exercised and when they lose weight and grow up at healthy weight they will be happier people. Remember we are talking about childhood obesity not overweight children or kids with a bit of puppy fat. Im sure like me when you were at school you remember the fat overweight kid in your class or maybe you were the fat overweight kid, do you not see the difference between then and now. I dont see many overweight kids anymore all I see is obese kids that will only get bigger if they are not helped. I see young boy aged 10 that weigh more than wrestler or little girls with big swollen bellies that look pregnant.

[madhatters4]

@Righttobeararms83 again it's irrelevant how much unhealthy food a child eats. it's simply a matter of trying to prosecute something with tons of vagaries in it. our court system is insanely overburden with enough to add trying to prove that parents are abusing their child, or the child is inclined to obesity, or if the child is extremely lazy, or if they are getting food elsewhere

i simply do not to pay more taxes for more court trials. i'm rather liberal in social issues but i'd side with social conservatives here in saying this is just example of extra government we don't need

[Righttobeararms83]

Works pretty well in Europe and they dont have the same obesity epidemic, they pay a fraction more in taxes but get more than basic fire and police. Im a conservative myself but I dont think major health and social problems such as childhood obesity should be conserved.

[madhatters4]

@Righttobeararms83 where in europe?
so lets put this in place. lets say it's happening. who is going to pay for the medical procedures to determine a child is predisposed to having potential weight issues? like those with glandular problems or those who's bodies don't respond to leptin causing them to be constantly hungry

what if the child goes to school and eats crazy amounts of snacks and unhealthy foods
what if the child refuses exercise
how then would in your opinion, a law be structured that doesn't throw parents, who make every attempt at a healthy lifestyle for their children, in jail?

not being an ass just sort of playing devil's advocate in a scenario where such a law existed.

[madhatters4]

@Righttobeararms83 i'm open to the idea... not ever entirely against punishment of neglectful parents. i just have lots of questions about how implementation works

[Righttobeararms83]

The child refuses? Who is the childs parents that they'd let their child rule the roost?
Social medicine works on the basis of treating before there's a problem, for instance a hospital has to give you basic treatment in America right now and send you on your way, that costs money and if the patient had no money to pay who pays it, thats right the taxpayer so in the long term the taxpayer ends up paying for childhood obesity.
Who is giving the child enough money everyday to buy junk food at school and there shouldn't be any junk food in schools at all?

[Righttobeararms83]

https://youtu.be/6Yus3KyEQWE
This is france.

[madhatters4]

@Righttobeararms83
ignore the questions of who refuses. just answer the question because they can and probably will come up
but to answer? there are plenty of kids who simply refuse to go outside and be active. a parent can push them outside and the kid can fuss and fight it or simply choose to sit down. the kid doesn't necessarily need money to get junk food. they could have friends. they could have money of their own.

again you are trying to hard to say things can't happen but they can and guaranteed that if a law were passed these issues would come up so they have to be asked.

in regards to who is going to pay for the testing to determine any biological issues regarding obesity. i think it would have to prove that the reduction in obesity; and resulting costs to the healthcare system would be greater than the cost the taxpayers of performing what can be expensive genetic testing

[Righttobeararms83]

to get a child to play outside all you need to is shut off the power to their xbox and tv and take away their phone.
The nations health is as much a part of the countries infrastructure as say highways and everything else. Its difficult to predict the long term effects on the economy and burden on the taxpayer that obesity and a growing wave of obese kids on the way. Fighting obesity is in the national intrest.

[madhatters4]

@Righttobeararms83
and what if they just sit under a tree and do no physical activity?

[madhatters4]

making any law, to me more precise making any effective law, is about accounting for possible flaws and oversights. now i've thought about it for maybe 10 minutes today and can come up with three. so thorough study and thought on the issue could probably come up with far more potential issues to overcome. obviously some may be inconsequential but some could become huge pitfalls to the legislation. you say they've done it in your Europe but i've seen very few laws but rather case by case situations of parents being prosecuted for neglect, which speaks not only to the child's obesity but to a larger issue of neglect in parenting. so in theory the same could occur in the US if a prosecutor could prove neglect of the child. but passing legislation to say "childhood obesity is child abuse" is a very different thing. it creates a very black and white situation. if that is to occur everything must be done to eliminate the grey area and not just say, "how often does x happen" "if Y happens..

[madhatters4]

if you don't you have a very ineffective law

[cavmanier]

It's not a topic I want to think about but it's very sad. I'm pretty positive that she eats a lot of oily and fried foods. She probably doesn't want a vegetable without butter or mayonnaise on it, and eats a lot of calorie dense foods in general. I wouldn't feed those foods to a kid personally. They would be eating mostly fruits and vegetables.

[somebodysaycheese]

Yes, unless its a medical problem the parents need to be held responsible. Im also against allowing kids to live as the opposite sex. To me the government also needs to be responsible they support and finance large pharma comapnies that makes us sick and cause obesity and give us food that is injected with chemical to make us fat.
Both parents and government need to take responsibility. But its a cycle of bs. So i only see this getting worse.

[Regulatus]

I like you more with every post you make!

[LittleSally]

Depends on the severity, but parents are always partially responsible - for sure. It's a lifestyle - healthy or not healthy... They've been raised into that lifestyle - probably of food equating with comfort or reward.
They need to reevaluate themselves and change their habits...

[rgb008]

I think it's negligent, but not abusive.
The child has its own mind to eat right and go outside and play.
Parents won't be around forever to make sure you do the right, healthy thing. But they should also encourage their child to be active and eat well with sweets in moderation.

[Righttobeararms83]

yes. I was shocked by how many fat kids are in America the first time I came here. What gets me is that these people claim to love tgeir kids so much and are such "great" parents yet fed their kids on sugar everyday. If I took my kid to the ER after my kid got a pump or bruise social services would be all over that but not the parents who shovel a wheelbarrow of lard down their kids throats every day.

[SongBird3]

If a parent lets a child do drugs, that affects them negatively, and thats abuse.
If a parent allows their child to become obese, that affects them negatively, and that is also abuse.

[Righttobeararms83]

well said

[SongBird3]

@Righttobeararms83 thanks :)
i hope to be in healthcare someday, so gotta practice

[Stardust143]

I wouldn't go as far as "child abuse", but parents do need to take responsibility. There's a growing number of obese infants and toddlers too, and that's just unacceptable.

[Stardust143]

Actually, we need our food industry and FDA to take responsibility too. One of the major problems is they add sugar and high fructose corn syrup to everything.

[Righttobeararms83]

Thats true the first time i ate some cereal when I moved to America I thought I was going to get diabetes as it was pure sugar.

[PlzJustDie]

Parents need to learn how to say "no".

I've witnessed this first hand : my aunt, with her kids. She never said no to them. They ate everything they wanted at any time they wanted. It's mostly her fault if her kids are fat.

[bryon]

It being child abuse is a bit out of reach. If the parents were forcing the kid to eat then it different. Fat shaming to me is closer to abuse than thinking the parents are at fault

[Righttobeararms83]

but they are at fault. Fat acceptance doesn't help a thirteen year old when they are being an insulin injection for their diabetes brought on by their obesity or in later when they struggle with their obesity. Children having to br ashamed of their weight is wrong and avoidable in most cases.

[bryon]

@Righttobeararms83 so for those children that over eat or choose to eat the wrong things what is a parent to do? Put a lock on the fridge , call all their friends moms and say don't feed the kid? How exactly do you purpose this?

[bryon]

Any person with two partially functioning brain cells know that fat shaming has NEVER worked well as a motivator to get kids to loose weight. It's demoralizing and by far does more emotional and mental damage than it has or ever will do good

[Righttobeararms83]

"so for those children that over eat or choose to eat the wrong things what is a parent to do? Put a lock on the fridge , call all their friends moms and say don't feed the kid? How exactly do you purpose this?" how do I purpose this you said exactly what I would do. If you give a kid the choice between extra large portions of sugary and fattening foods and 12 hours per day of XBox and netflix or regular portions of fatty food and exercise play outside which will the child choose?
Fat shaming worked well in the past hence nobody was fat. How demoralising and emotionally damaging is for a child to grow up obese and turn into an unhealthy unhappy obese adult that can never lose the weight and function in society like a normal man or woman all because they had bad parents.

[bryon]

@Righttobeararms83 uhh ok

[Righttobeararms83]

#victoryismine!!!

[BellePepper]

Yes let's penalize parents for being poor and living in food deserts. Great plan. So progressive.

[mermaidrocketship]

Being poor doesn't equal being morbidly obese. Yes, less wealthy people buy processed foods, but they're also eating food in excess. And some people don't care what their kids eat. Look at the video. Without a doubt, Brianna is in worse condition than her parents, and her mother hasn't made any changes to their diet, claiming she didn't know frying everything would make her kid fat. Some parents don't have a clue.

[BellePepper]

@mermaidrocketship I'm just going to pretend you're very misinformed.

The cheapest fruit in grocery stores are bananas. Bananas have some of the highest sugar content of all fruits. Grains are subsidized meat fruit and vegetables are not. A jar of peanut butter and a loaf of cheap white bread are less than 5$ and will provide several meals. Top ramen can also be stretched. What kind of meal made with actual meat and vegetables can do the same?

There may be people who have the resources to do better by their children but the majority do not. You need to think about how laws apply to all people not just the people you dislike.

[Chromekids]

As a parent you are 100% responsible for your child's health and safety. Causing a major medical issue or allowing one to happen is on you. At best it's negligence like leaving the lawn mower on unattended around your kids.

[Mustachekitteh]

If the parents feed their kid nothing but healthy food. Yet the kid is still obese, not much they can do about it.

[Mustachekitteh]

Plus foods in school are horribly unhealthy.

[Righttobeararms83]

That's what pack lunches are for, if the schools aren't up to task its up to you the parents. That goes not just for school dinners but education and physical fitness as well. Tge schools may fail my kids but I never will.

[Mustachekitteh]

@Righttobeararms83 What if the kid is awful at not losing the pack lunch?

[Righttobeararms83]

Then he will have nothing to eat.

[Saoirse_Nua]

Child abuse is very strong I think - Maybe an issue where a school counsellor can request intervention and get help in to see if help could be given to prevent it.

[Righttobeararms83]

c'mon lad a school counsellor to tell parents that its not normal for a ten year old to weigh 220lb

[Saoirse_Nua]

@Righttobeararms83 I meant get state childrens welfare services involved as they would if they thought there was an issue in the home.

[gaurav83]

parents should be more responsible towards kids health but it's not child abuse.

[JoeCensored]

Yes. The kids didn't find all the extra food on their own.

[Righttobeararms83]

yeah its not like the go out into the woods foraging for a big mac and litre of coca-cola

[OrangeBoy]

No... lol, It's up to schools to teach them what and why should he care about the body.

[OrangeBoy]

Parents also, but they can't control their kids life.
Try to avoid them smoking or drinking also, lol.

[Righttobeararms83]

Why not just have kids live a school and let the teachers raise them.

[EllieLexis513]

It's not lol, why does everyone think it's the school's responsibility to teach kids everything? It's not. You have health for one semester in high school, the end. Parents have to teach their kids, too. And they have to practice it. I can tell my students all day long that snacks and soda are bad from them, but their parents get mad. Seriously. I've had several parents tell me off because I told them their child isn't allowed to eat in my room and I've had even more get angry when I told them they need healthier snacks, that hot fries aren't good for you.

So, please, come up with a better argument. I'm tired of people thinking schools are responsible for children when they aren't. Parents need to start raising their kids again.

[OrangeBoy]

@ EllieLexis513 ... wth, i said the same you said. I talked that both have to do it, school and parents.

But true and correctt information comes from teachers. Like sexual education.
They can learn a lot from parens, but concrete facts must be offered by teachers that actually study the field.

Body and health education is the same. Complementing basic education.
AND
Starting by destroying the awfull school food that exists on schools.

[OrangeBoy]

Yeah, you will find bad educated parents sooner or later : /
But hopefully will get better...

[OrangeBoy]

@Righttobeararms83 i think you guys didn't understood my point. I'm with you. But school must complement with iinformation and giving example.

[Anonymous]

I have a 14 year old step daughter that's 5'6" and 278 pounds. In her case, hell yeah.

[BellePepper]

You're a parental unit. Why is it not your fault? Why should you not go to jail?

[Opinion Owner]

@BellePepper when the mother refuses to allow anyone to parent HER child but HER and won't even let her father have a say... yeah.. its not our fault.

[EllieLexis513]

Um... okay, well, using a child to get back a the biological mother isn't exactly the smart thing to do, either.

[BellePepper]

I don't think a judge is going to want to hear "it's not our fault!" You would end up facing the same consequences as her biological mother.

[Righttobeararms83]

im afraid its probably too late for that poor girl and she will likely have a miserable life with weight related problems. This is her mother's fault who likely has custody with the father getting visitation rights.

[Spermdumster666]

@Righttobeararms83 sounds like your step daughter is in for a life of suffering due to her obesity

[orphan]

dumbest fucking thing i've ever read. it takes more to make someone fat than just shoving food down their throat.. think about it.

[EllieLexis513]

Lol, I just asked for opinions, I never said it should or shouldn't.

But it's an actual debate though and people are pushing for it be that way in some areas of the country.

[orphan]

stupid as fuck.

[Scrambledagain]

@orphan Think about what? A genetic defect or physical abnormality that causes weight is such a low percentage that it doesn't qualify for a debate. If I feed my kid fucking coke all day and know the consequences, its more retarded than a Kardashian show. I shat my mother out for giving my niece an entire slab of chocolate. You teaching kids to eat shit. Then when they get fat? then what? Its what I call indirect abuse (like religion). You think you just cool and going with it, but you are sticking the biggest, sandy dildo in your child arse and setting him/her up for a bad life.

[Wichtige]

If parents start taking responsibility for their child's weight, maybe they should also be responsible for their grades and intellect?

[Righttobeararms83]

they are already supposed to be. You can't rely on schools to teach your kids.

[Wichtige]

@Righttobeararms83 Yes, but there is no persecution for having a child with bad marks.

[Righttobeararms83]

There is persecution for not sending your kids to school and for your child not behaving.

[Anonymous]

Parents are convicted of abuse if their child is severely malnourished. Morbid obesity is the other end of the spectrum and equally as harmful to the child.

[Owl95]

No as certain medical conditions make it easy to gain weight.

[Righttobeararms83]

when you feed your kids adult portions of sugar and fat its plonking them in front of an Xbox all day easy for them to gain weight.