Obese children taken into care

[AB Asks]

Three children were taken away from their parents because they are too fat. They were removed when there were fears that their weight was getting out of hand. There is the belief amongst medical professionals that obesity is as big a health threat to people as malnutrition. What do you think? Is removing children from parent's care too extreme? Why are parents letting their children get severely obese?

[tiny e.a]

I don't think taking an obese child into care should be the first move. I think before that happens parents should be given professional advice on what they should be feeding their child and doing with them to help them lose the weight, there should be regular visits to the GP to check on the progress and to ensure a particular regime is working. If however, the parents fail to act on the information, or fails to utilise the help on offer, and the child continues to put on weight then I consider that a form of neglect and agree social services shoul treat it as such, removing the child if necessary.

[Reverandfunk]

having their jaws wired should be the first

[4gottenabout]

I've got it this new thing with mothers to be getting money for food so they can eat healthy, to save it coming out our pockets, take the food money away from the obese kids family and give it to the expectant mothers. But like robbing the rich and feeding the poor

[river]

I think thats the best move. Does anyone remember a couple of years ago a couple were taken to court because their golden retriever got too fat?! How can we have one rule for one and not the other! If the children were too skinny the same thing would have happened.

Good on the LA for once!

[LoftyLottie]

Whilst unhealthy junk food is so plentiful and available there will be uneducated/unknowing/uncaring parents who will buy it.

Do any of us need junk food? Would it be impossible to ban it's production or price it so high that noone can afford it and it gradually goes out of production.

Whilst I agree that parents might be to blame in lots of ways, surely it's the producers and retailers of the junk that should be taken to task.

[4getmenot]

do we need junk food?? Hell yer I do :-) Weekend pig out :-)

[annie0000]

It depends on what support the family have had, but at the end of the day, unless you actually have some kind of learning difficulties, I think that most people are clear that eating junk food and not exercising makes you fat. What education needs to take place? I think that a lot of these parents have got themselves into a rut and cannot say no to their children. I am pretty sure that the children aren't doing the weekly shop. This shows a complete lack of discipline. You can't ban junk food, because that would not be fair to those kids who eat healthily most of the time, but are allowed a treat now and then. My kids eat healthily most of the time, they exercise regularly, and if I want to occasionally buy them crisps or a burger, I don't see a problem with that.

I think lack of exercise is as much an issue as overeating. And that can cost nothing - a trip to the park, a kick around with a football etc. Much cheaper than playstation games!

[LoftyLottie]

OK, so perhaps banning it is over the top, but the shelves in supermarkets are full of it (just think of the crisp and snack aisles!!!). If junk food was really expensive, people might reserve it for treats only - likewise with junk drinks.

Crisps and coke used to be a treat years ago - now they are just treated as normal everyday food.

Forget, you are allowed a weekend pig out!!!!

[LoftyLottie]

4get that is! Out of the dungeon then ;o)

[4getmenot]

yep I ate my way out :-) I think its more expense of the healthier foods and laziness too or being too busy to prepare a decent meal.

[annie0000]

Healthy food is not expensive - unless you are buying ready made stuff. Last time I looked, a packet of porridge was cheaper than a box of sugar filled crap.

[LoftyLottie]

It really needn't take long to prepare a decent meal. Veggies are really quick to prepare and cook and are cheaper than junk food. Also thinks like spag bol are quick and easy and portions can be frozen and you can put all sorts of nutritious things in without kids noticing. You'd be surprised at how many concoctions I have laced with spinach and broccolli.

And nothing is faster than fruit.

[LoftyLottie]

What other nourishing food is expensive apart from fish and meat? With imaginative and easily cooked meals you can make a little meat and fish go a long way, especially with pasta and rice. If a meal looks colourful and interesting most kids will eat it.

[4getmenot]

exactly annie and loftie but what is quicker having to cook porridge in morning 3 mins in microwave or sticking ceral in a bowl or kicking your kids out with nothing to eat at all. And loftie no doesnt take long at all and can still watch tv while its cooking but to some sticking a bunch of chips and burgers in over for 20mins is easier. I am not disagreeing with you, I agree doesnt take long at all just some lazy people out there

[Octavius]

I would presume a child who is being underfed and undernourished (neglected) would be removed from the home, so why should this not happen conversely?

[LoftyLottie]

Makes me wonder why they bother to have kids in the first place, 4get! There seem to be a lot of lazy parents around these days. Unfortunately, unless things change the whole issue will just continue through the generations.

Decent food, lots of healthy exercise - not much to ask of parents to give their kids is it?

[Carakeel]

If the parents have had all the advice, counselling etc. and still do nothing to help their obese children get their weight under control, then I do think that these children should be taken away from the parents. We would not object to them being taken away if they were dangerously malnourished and this is no different really. Both present a risk to the child's life! This will only work though if the children are then given the right support, both physical and emotional, to help them back to a healthy weight and to understanding where their parents went wrong. However, where the parents have done everything in their power to get their child's weight down, the child should not be taken away, but offered a place in a fat camp with nutritionists and fitness experts who help. Their GP should be able to prescribe this. This way, if the parents of the child refuse to let the child go to the camp, perhaps the GP could threaten to refuse any other treatment , as a way of pressuring the parents. Either way, repairing the child's health / life has to be the main focus.

[Reverandfunk]

All down to the fat lazy parents