Should parents lose custody of super obese kids?

[LeonaS]

My mom used to say "Give 'em an inch and they'll take a yard". That is so true when applied to government. The more we allow it to micromanage our lives, the more intrusive they'll become. But, the children have to be protected, too. So I agree with the posters who suggested putting the parents into a situation where they can be educated about healthy eating and foods, and the long-term effect of obesity on their children. Chances are the parents are also overweight, so it would benefit them, too.

[Guest LadyC]

if the government wants to start interfering and telling people what they can feed their children, perhaps they should try a different approach. regulate the food industry. stop allowing so much unhealthy stuff into foods. like high fructose corn syrup. maybe the government should re-educate americans about what is healthy and what isn't. we're a nation full of dieters who remain obese because they've been taught that carbs are healthy for energy and that fats are bad because they slow down weight loss... this is actually the exact opposite of the truth. carbs need to be eaten in moderation, and fats need to be recognized for their health benefits.

and if only there was a way to get kids outside, off the couch, off their butts, and playing in ways that encourage fitness instead of obesity.

[Burning_Ember]

Lose custody, no. Have safety and health standards through the FDA or something similar, yes. Severe Obesity is a huge threat to the military right now. You can't fight a war in a Rascal. Severe Obesity has an amazing amount of poor consequences, covering health, the economy, employment, and many more.

[chloe_fantastic]

I did not vote in the poll because my answer to the first question was not an option. I believe whether the parents should bear the blame for their child's obesity depends on why the child is obese. As was mentioned earlier, there are medical conditions that cause or contribute to obesity. I also think that this is a result of the "Not Fair!" Epidemic. It seems like society, when confronted with an unfortunate situation, always wants someone to blame for it. Something unfair is going on, so someone has to pay, to make it right.

Should the government have a say? Again, it depends on what the cause of the obesity is. Even assuming the obesity was due to what the parents were feeding the kids, how obese are we talking, and who gets to decide how obese is too obese?

My answer to the last question would also be depends. As someone also mentioned earlier, even with things already viewed as neglect and even abuse in some cases, removing the children is ususally not the first move made. People have mentioned education and therapy, but in order for that to take place, there would have to be some sort of government process of investigation to determine the cause of the obesity. That would go back to my above question of how obese is too obese and who gets to decide that. Call me crazy, but trust the government to know what's best for me, let alone my kids or anyone else's, I do not.

[jodetoad]

I have been involved in dealing with government a lot lately, in a totally unrelated issue.

The experience would probably be very similar. Bureaucrats who memorize giant rule books, and are more concerned with rules than reality. Complex and mind-boggling games a citizen has to play to even get a chance to talk to somebody. Technicalities of a city, overlaid by county rules, overlaid by state rules, with an icing of federal rules on top. Dealing with it means getting caught up like a rat in a maze. Go here, fill out this form, come to this hearing, you have 45 days to comment in writing. You don't understand the procedure? You poor dumb slob.

We really don't want government more involved in families. Yeah, it's the best government in the history of mankind. But it's still the pits.

[Fez]

They teach kids to drive at school. In some countries if you are caught driving like an idiot you have to go to traffic school.

Maybe there should be a similar system for parents who neglect their kids?

We could start with the book of Ephesians as the basis for the course.....

[Guest]

If the govt. decided that what you are watching on tv is also determental to your childs health, should they be allowed to take away your child for that reason?

Yes, please = BAN TV!!!!

They'll never ban TV. While I don't miss prime time TV all that much, it does pose an interesting question.

Ever wonder why the media makes such a big deal about power failures during storms and other natural disasters? It may not be for the reasons you think of first. No TV means folks might start to think for themselves . . . and the powers that be can't have that.

[Guest]

I think the gub'min't should stay out of people's lives unless a child is in real physical danger. We don't need a nanny state. That said, the rest is a slippery slope -- as in greased slippery slope. Kids learn from their parents, so there should be a whole family approach -- but there's so little family structure in society any more.

I don't have an answer for this one -- except that when ever the (U.S.) government gets involved in something it invariably screws it up.

Keep in mind that this is the same gov't that will not secure our borders we're talking about here. Not can not, but will not. Does anyone really want a gov't like that raising their kids?

[Shiloh62]

I confess, I'm torn on this one. I don't want the feds controlling anything in the home but ...... a 90 lb. three year old? What do y'all think?

The problem is twofold-the parents are not parenting, and the yare most likely obese themselves, setting a bad example.

[nebula]

stop allowing so much unhealthy stuff into foods. like high fructose corn syrup.

Amen to that!

carbs need to be eaten in moderation,

Isn't that rather the type of carbs? If carbs mean white flour, then I agree. But what of whole grains (which is hard to get a hold of)?