Jules
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Location: Merrie Englande, UK
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Overweight Kids: Child Abuse?
Posted: 07-23-07 05:15am
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I think it is a form of child abuse to
allow your child to become significantly
overweight. I'm not talking 'puppy fat'
because that's often a normal part of the
body changing but proper
overweight/obesity.
I think it is the parent's responsibilty
to ensure their child has a healthy diet
and does not endanger their health by
carrying excess weight. An overweight
child is more likely to be alienated and
bullied at school too.
I'm talking of pre-teens here really as it
becomes harder to control a young adult's
eating of course 
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Lion79
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Mar 2007
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Posted: 07-23-07 06:08am
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I dunno if I'd call it child abuse, but I
see what you mean. You're right about the
parents' responsibility but they can't
always control what their child eats, like
at school. I know they can take packed
lunches in but the parents might not
always have the time to make them, and
what about if they go over to a friends
house for tea?
I do think it's best for parents to bring
their kids up on good things like fruit
and veg. I hate fruit myself, but I really
wish I did like it because it's good for
you and you can just pick it up and eat
it, it's convenient. I also wish I liked
water. The only thing I will drink is
fizzy pop lol. I'm not overweight or
anything but it's important to start kids
off on the good stuff as early as
possible.
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diamond splinter
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Apr 2006
Posts: 611
Location: ,
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Posted: 07-23-07 07:50am
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I would call it neglect rather than abuse
i mean come on it is just as quick to cook
chicken and veg as it is to cook burger
and chips everything in moderation neglect
of a childs diet can lead to all sorts of
problems both physically and emotionaly
how long does it take to make a healthy
packed lunch for school 15 minutes thats
all and if a mother/father cannot spare 15
minutes either the night before or on the
morning of schoolto make that child an
healthy lunch then what else are those
parents neglecting in that childs needs?
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Marfa2107
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Jul 2007
Posts: 1552
Location: Galena, Kansas United States
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Posted: 07-23-07 08:04am
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I agree that letting a child become obese
is neglect...
like you said it takes just as long to
grill a chick breast and some veggies as
it does to cook a hammy and French
fries....
I think what a child likes reflects a lot
on what the parents like.
If a parent likes something they will fix
that and feed it to the child rather than
fixing something they don't like and
feeding it to the child...
So if the parent has healthy eating
habbits so will the child and
vice-versa..
** the other day i was at the mall with my
friend and her little cousin...he was
2yrs. old and weighed 54lbs. and that is
so not healthy..that poor child is being
set up for humiliation all through school
because instead of handing him a carrot,
they'll hand him a cookie or an ice cream
bar **
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Birch
Supporter
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Posted: 07-23-07 09:11am
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What's the difference between neglect and
abuse?
Passive versus aggressive?
I think it's abusive and neglectful (I
think they are one and the same) to allow
your child to balloon up.
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young Girl
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 13932
Location: everythings better in, texas USA
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Posted: 07-23-07 09:17am
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depends on if its a health issue that
makes him/her that way or if you just let
him/her sit around eating grease and
stuff...
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Marfa2107
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Jul 2007
Posts: 1552
Location: Galena, Kansas United States
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Posted: 07-23-07 09:20am
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the difference between neglect and abuse
(in my opinion)
is abuse you are doing it (whether
physically or mentally) to harm the
child.. well knowing what you are doing..
neglect you dont have the best intrests of
the child... not doing it so much on
purpose... but more like "oh a lil wont
hurt" or "i dont need to do that right
now"
Neglect is a form of abuse but i see them
differently in certain ways
i really wouldn't classify letting your
child become obese a form of abuse..but
rather a form of neglect..
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kaerbear
Most Diplomatic Poster
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 1557
Location: ,
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Posted: 07-23-07 09:49am
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My priest, who is a wonderful woman and
has a PhD in food science (she's into food
justice issues) said a really interesting
thing to me once. She said that neglect
is the hardest kind of abuse to recover
from because it is often not recognized as
abuse and hard to pinpoint. Kids that
suffer neglect will have a harder time
putting their finger on what exactly was
done to them because it's an absence of
action rather than a particular action
(like hitting for example). With food, as
with other kinds of neglect, the parents
may not know what they are doing is wrong.
It is often a result of a lack of
education on the part of the parent.
Often, they probably think this is a way
of showing love because maybe that's how
they were shown love. In my case, I don't
consider my mom as having been abusive but
I have always had weight issues. It runs
in my family, so at least a part of it
must be genetic, but there are learned
behaviours no doubt about it. I have had
to unlearn a lot of habits I was taught
from an early age and learn healthier
ones. I know my mom never meant to hurt
me in any way but she was a struggling
single mom with weight issues of her own
and not enough knowledge about nutrition.
I think if your kid is obviously, morbidly
obese, though, obviously you should seek
medical help and make the changes
necessary. I think education is the most
important thing and the will to change
your own habits and help your child
develop healthy ones from the start are
the next steps.
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Tylanas
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Posted: 07-23-07 12:26pm
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Yeah, I definitely think it's neglect.
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Hollyberries
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Posted: 07-23-07 12:35pm
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| Marfa2107
wrote: | I agree that letting a child
become obese is neglect...
like you said it takes just as long to
grill a chick breast and some veggies as
it does to cook a hammy and French
fries....
I think what a child likes reflects a lot
on what the parents like.
If a parent likes something they will fix
that and feed it to the child rather than
fixing something they don't like and
feeding it to the child...
So if the parent has healthy eating
habbits so will the child and
vice-versa..
** the other day i was at the mall with my
friend and her little cousin...he was
2yrs. old and weighed 54lbs. and that is
so not healthy..that poor child is being
set up for humiliation all through school
because instead of handing him a carrot,
they'll hand him a cookie or an ice cream
bar ** |
wow that's really sad! That's what my 6
year old weighs  I know growing up i
was given whatever i wanted to eat. I was
never over weight. But being over weight
runs in our family. I didn't start eating
right until i was like 12, or 13. IT was
so easy to run to taco bell, or Mc donalds
to eat. But i'm choosing a different route
for my child. I don't want her to have to
grow up like i did. I don't keep ice
cream, cookies, or soda in the house. If
we do get soda or those junk foods it's
when we go out to dinner as a family, or
she stays with my family over night. I
don't see any thing wrong with "treats"
But you have to have moderation!
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sillyakchick
Supporter
Joined: 12 Apr 2007
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Posted: 07-23-07 12:41pm
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I am sure this comes as a great shock to
all of you, but yes I think it is
neglectful, harmful, and shameful. I
think it has the potential to do as much
lasting harm to a person as physical
abuse. Not just the social affects of
being overweight, but the long-lasting
physical effects. Heart disease,
diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol,
arthritis, degenerative disc disease,
liver disease, kidney failure....all
unpleasant side effects of a lifetime of
unhealthy eating and lack of exercise.
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Marfa2107
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Jul 2007
Posts: 1552
Location: Galena, Kansas United States
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Posted: 07-23-07 12:41pm
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yeah Holly it was sad..
this lil boy could not fit in a
stroller...
they had to get those big strollers from
the mall for him
b/c they couldn't find one that he could
fit in..
he looked so miserable..
and at 2 he can't really help it...he
doesn't really choose what he eats..
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Hollyberries
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Posted: 07-23-07 12:44pm
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| Marfa2107
wrote: | yeah Holly it was sad..
this lil boy could not fit in a
stroller...
they had to get those big strollers from
the mall for him
b/c they couldn't find one that he could
fit in..
he looked so miserable..
and at 2 he can't really help it...he
doesn't really choose what he
eats.. |
That just breaks my heart! There is only
one thing i hate about my fiance is that
he lets our daughter eat crap. When we go
to the store chyanne will ask for a candy
bar. I say NO. He comes home the other day
with 4 candy bars, and gives her two. I
said no no no! But i don't knwo how to get
him to understand. He thinks since she is
only 6 that one candy bar won't hurt her.
I just feel there is no need for it. I'm
lost, and don't know what to do.
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Marfa2107
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Jul 2007
Posts: 1552
Location: Galena, Kansas United States
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Posted: 07-23-07 12:48pm
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yeah that's gotta be a hard situation..
grr...
i've had weight issues my whole life, b/c
when i was little i drank nothing but
pop... and that also caused bladder issues
and severe dehydration.
my mom is a huge sweet eater so i was also
fed alot of sweets when i was little...
and since i still live with my parents
junk food is right at hand and it's hard
to break my habbits...
and Holly idk what to tell you...
cause after he gives it to her you can't
really take it away without a fight..
i say tell him that you dont want her to
gain too much weight because
it can cause her trouble throughout school
and life... i guess?
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Hollyberries
Extremely EHEALTHy
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Location: Lead, sd usa
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Posted: 07-23-07 12:52pm
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yeah we end up fighting about it all the
time. But it hasn't happend since the last
time lol. I'm trying. I know what you say
about being in a house with a lot of
sweets. I was raised the same way. I'm
just trying to do better than what i had
growing up.
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Marfa2107
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Jul 2007
Posts: 1552
Location: Galena, Kansas United States
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Posted: 07-23-07 12:53pm
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yeah, i'm not even a big sweet eater..
but man, i love them potato chips.. *lol*
idk my bf is also a HUGE sweet eater..
we always have a candy dish full of
M&Ms, Ande's Mints, and caramels..
and theres always pop and atleast 2 bags
of potato chips..
atleast he hasn't done it again..
goodjob
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young Girl
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 13932
Location: everythings better in, texas USA
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Posted: 07-23-07 12:56pm
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| Marfa2107
wrote: | yeah, i'm not even a big
sweet eater..
but man, i love them potato chips.. *lol*
idk my bf is also a HUGE sweet eater..
we always have a candy dish full of
M&Ms, Ande's Mints, and caramels..
and theres always pop and atleast 2 bags
of potato chips..
atleast he hasn't done it again..
goodjob |
mmmmmmm andes mints and M&Ms
and potato chips
ya know i havent aten lunch yet martha
thanks...thanks alot.....
lol j/k
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tigresacanela24
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Joined: 11 Nov 2005
Posts: 5261
Location: Treat your children well, eventually they'll choose your nursing home.
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Posted: 07-24-07 08:05am
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My sister (who I might add is overweight)
gives my son sweets when we visit her. it
drives me nuts. I told her that I don't
like it and don't want him to have any but
by that point he's already got them. I
had to flat out tell her that if she does
it again, I won't bring him over anymore.
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Marfa2107
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Jul 2007
Posts: 1552
Location: Galena, Kansas United States
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Posted: 07-24-07 08:06am
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did she stop after you told her that? ...
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tigresacanela24
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Nov 2005
Posts: 5261
Location: Treat your children well, eventually they'll choose your nursing home.
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Posted: 07-24-07 10:02am
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she's stopped plying him with them. She
still gives him the occasional cookie. I
guess one cookie is an aunt's privilege.
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