Should parents lose custody of super obese kids?

[Archer]

Should parents lose custody of super obese kids? :: WRAL.com

Should parents of extremely obese children lose custody for not controlling their kids' weight? A provocative commentary in one of the nation's most distinguished medical journals argues yes, and its authors are joining a quiet chorus of advocates who say the government should be allowed to intervene in extreme cases.

It has happened a few times in the U.S., and the opinion piece in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association says putting children temporarily in foster care is in some cases more ethical than obesity surgery.

My thoughts:

Should the parents of American children sue the government for not regulating the onslaught of unhealthy lifestyles depicted in the media? Should the food makers be sued for not offering healthy foods at a reasonable price because they are putting their food resources that could be used in healthy lower cost foods into easily marketable junk?

Where will the line be drawn?

I say healthy food stamps for every American. Oh wait that may not make big business happy.

 

[Mathematician]

Not automatically lose custody, but if there's no medical condition then I say light a fire beneath parents' arse because yes it is abuse. If a kid is starving we don't look upon parents kindly, either.

 

[Falvlun]

I say yes, in extreme cases. If the parent is knowingly contributing to the kid's obesity, thereby exacerbating a life-threatening medical condition, and refusing or unable to make parenting and lifestyle changes, then yes, this is no different than other child endagerment cases and the child should be removed from the home until the parent is capable of managing their child's weight.

 

[Barcode]

Define "super-obese"

It would be hard to lose custody based upon the weight of the child since there are many factors. For one, the government cannot monitor how parents feed their children. I would say if the child has chronic illnesses as a result of eating "junk" at best the attending physician can require a health plan to give and warn the parents on the consequences of gorging, not to mention the "pavlonian effect" the child develops upon the expectancy of eating at certain times. With all these issues CPS would have a diffult time taking away custody.

 

[HonestJoe]

Should parents lose custody of super obese kids?

That question should be based on the actions (or inactions) of the parents, not the status of the child. A whole range of factors can influence obesity and removing the child from the parents (short or long term) is not a solution to all of them and could make things worse. It shouldn't be an automatic response but it should be an option where parents are unwilling or unable to take the actions they're responsible for the wellbeing their children (which it already is on general terms).

Should the parents of American children sue the government for not regulating the onslaught of unhealthy lifestyles depicted in the media? Should the food makers be sued for not offering healthy foods at a reasonable price because they are putting their food resources that could be used in healthy lower cost foods into easily marketable junk?

I think leaping to the American past-time of suing people is the wrong way to deal with those issues. I think government has an element of responsibility to encourage healthy lifestyles but it's ultimately a matter of personal choice (for adults themselves). Advertising and media doesn't force you to do anything (and I suspect peer pressure is often more significant anyway).

I think food producers do provide healthy food at reasonable prices. I feel the complaint about healthy food being too expensive is pretty much a complete myth (at least in the UK and I doubt the US supermarkets are all that different). You can get cheap but unhealthy food but you can make healthy meals on a budget too. The real problem for most people (myself included) is putting in the time and effort required to do that.

 

[waitasec]

i think capitalism is to blame...

it's called fast food for a reason and when you're a single parent working 2 jobs it's hard to cook up a healthy meal and set the table.

 

[Revoltingest]

i think capitalism is to blame...

You're on to something....N Korea doesn't have an obesity problem.
Famine will keep you trim.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

it's called fast food for a reason and when you're a single parent working 2 jobs it's hard to cook up a healthy meal and set the table.

Yeah, who has 20 minutes to make dinner?

 

[Rakhel]

Yeah, who has 20 minutes to make dinner?

I can make it is 15, had I the right ingredients.
It's not about the time, it's about the effort put in.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I can make it is 15, had I the right ingredients.
It's not about the time, it's about the effort put in.

Yeah, who has 15 minutes of effort to make a healthy dinner?

Easier to blame someone else.

 

[waitasec]

You're on to something....N Korea doesn't have an obesity problem.
Famine will keep you trim.

yup....


seriously though...
there has to be a balance. a town in sweden, where my husband is from, closed down a mickey dee's because people were getting to fat...
go figure.

 

[Klaufi_Wodensson]

I'd say yes. I just don't understand how a parent can look at an obese child and think that it's perfectly fine. I, for one, can't. I'm overweight, but I'd still say I'm rather healthy, and even then I'm still working on getting in shape. But when I see an obese child, I'm just taken aback. How can a parent let their child get so big?

Yes, unhealthy food is cheaper. But video games are more expensive than going outside to play. And I can understand if there is some medical issue. But it just appalls me that a parent can let their child get so big. So there's my two cents.

 

[waitasec]

Yeah, who has 20 minutes to make dinner?

yeah that's assuming the parents are at home for dinner...

what i've noticed is that inner cities do not have a corner market to shop at... so what is one to do?
it's getting on the bus to a market...which means you can't get that much, one only has 2 hands. it's walking home from the bus stop for blocks...
and so on

it's more than just those 20 minutes...

 

[waitasec]

I'd say yes. I just don't understand how a parent can look at an obese child and think that it's perfectly fine. I, for one, can't. I'm overweight, but I'd still say I'm rather healthy, and even then I'm still working on getting in shape. But when I see an obese child, I'm just taken aback. How can a parent let their child get so big?

Yes, unhealthy food is cheaper. But video games are more expensive than going outside to play. And I can understand if there is some medical issue. But it just appalls me that a parent can let their child get so big. So there's my two cents.

i hear ya...


humans are prone to be overindulgent.
if it's not over eating, it's drinking too much or watching too much TV or over playing video games... and humans tend to
use excuses to justify their behavior...like my posts above...

 

[Reverend Rick]

As a child, I was told to go and play outside. In other words, get off the couch and leave the house.

I had to ask before I opened the refrigerator or took something from the pantry.

Many times I was told to wait for dinner.

We drank water not soda when we where thirsty.

Now, I believe children have constant access to snacks and sodas.

They do not go outside and remain inside the home.

 

[waitasec]

As a child, I was told to go and play outside. In other words, get off the couch and leave the house.

I had to ask before I opened the refrigerator or took something from the pantry.

Many times I was told to wait for dinner.

We drank water not soda when we where thirsty.

Now, I believe children have constant access to snacks and sodas.

They do not go outside and remain inside the home.

i agree....

 

[Rakhel]

yeah that's assuming the parents are at home for dinner...

what i've noticed is that inner cities do not have a corner market to shop at... so what is one to do?
it's getting on the bus to a market...which means you can't get that much, one only has 2 hands. it's walking home from the bus stop for blocks...
and so on

it's more than just those 20 minutes...

Have you been to New York? There is a corner store on every corner. Some times 4. There are more corner stores than there are churches! And there are a LOT of churches here.
Can't find what you want at one store, go next door. I can almost guarantee they will have it and for cheaper too. And if they don't, just keep walking.
This is the problem. No one wants to take the time. It is easier to walk into that fast food joint(that is usually right next to that corner store) and pay $5 for a 4 piece chicken nugget and fries and a soda. people are in too much of a rush to see what's right in front of them

 

[waitasec]

Have you been to New York? There is a corner store on every corner. Some times 4. There are more corner stores than there are churches! And there are a LOT of churches here.
Can't find what you want at one store, go next door. I can almost guarantee they will have it and for cheaper too. And if they don't, just keep walking.
This is the problem. No one wants to take the time. It is easier to walk into that fast food joint(that is usually right next to that corner store) and pay $5 for a 4 piece chicken nugget and fries and a soda. people are in too much of a rush to see what's right in front of them

but i don't think you can compare new york with LA...
is there an obesity problem there?

 

[Rakhel]

but i don't think you can compare new york with LA...
is there an obesity problem there?

Unless Los Angeles is not in the US.

 

[waitasec]

Unless Los Angeles is not in the US.

what do you mean?
LA is not NY by any means it's too spread out and public transportation is bunk compared to NY...and there are hardly any corner markets in the inner city.
have you been to LA?