Quote Originally Posted by Killearn Kitties
Only today I heard a report on the radio about a child who is being taken into care because he weighs 14 stones (almost 200 lbs) at eight years old. The situation seems to have gone beyond the point where his mother, school, or doctors seem to be able to do anything for him. He will initially be hospitalised until he has lost a certain amount, then when he is able to exercise he will be started on a program.

This was a very particular case, but I wonder whether it is something we sill start to see more of.

I was watching Dr Phil one day (I despise Dr Phil but I was interested in this one family he was talking to) they were talking about childhood obesity. this mother (was divorced) and she was allowing her 3 or 4 year old son to eat nothing but junk and thought she was doing absolutely nothing wrong. Apparently she had been on the show about it before and she refused to change his eating habits and refused to believe that letting him eat this way was ruining his health. this child said.... on his own .... that it is hard for him to get up off the floor.... walk places.... run.... even get up and down the stairs or in and out of bed.

Apparently the father fought for custody of this child and won. they came back on the show and the child had lost 70lbs or something like that. the child was around 8 when he came back on the show. they asked him what his favourite food is and he said BROCCOLI. he loves it.... he loves to eat fruit and loves to eat vegetables. when the father got custody of him he (with the help of a physician) started a slow weight loss program. it started with walking up and down the stairs a certain amount of times each day and then increasing the amount of times he could do it over time. the child now says he is so happy that he can go out and play with his friends.... he loves to do his stair exercises and loves to play sports.

After hearing this how could any parent think they are doing a good thing for their child by letting them eat whatever they want to the point that they can't even get themselves off the floor without help.