Severly overweight/obese children... a form of child abuse?

You know, I see these kids walking around that are eight years old with 50% body fat. Breaks my heart. And usually, when I see that, they are sucking on a pop or chewing a bag of chips while mom is pushing the cart around in Walmart.

I don't want to live in a draconian society where the government tells people what they can and cannot eat.

But at the same time, I feel this is a "form" of child abuse.

I think the public schools needs to be on point here, and really push the health agenda. It will do at least two things:

1) Improve the quality of life of these children
2) Reduce health care costs in the long run.

Some of these parents I see in Walmart are in walmart for a reason. And it becomes apparent when 250lb mom with 4 kids, each with a different baby daddy, whips out the food stamps while dressed in clothes that look as if rejected from the goodwill store and fuzzy slippers.

Some of these parents barely have a room temperature IQ, yet breed like bunny rabbits in spring.

Is it the parents fault?
---in part, yes.

But like someone said before me...
..."you can't fix stupid".

I don't know what the solution here is, but something has got to give.

The worst part is when they pay for food with stamps and then get cash out and pay for their cigarettes and all the shit that food stamps wont cover.

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Originally Posted by Times Roman

You know, I see these kids walking around that are eight years old with 50% body fat. Breaks my heart. And usually, when I see that, they are sucking on a pop or chewing a bag of chips while mom is pushing the cart around in Walmart.

I don't want to live in a draconian society where the government tells people what they can and cannot eat.

But at the same time, I feel this is a "form" of child abuse.

I think the public schools needs to be on point here, and really push the health agenda. It will do at least two things:

1) Improve the quality of life of these children
2) Reduce health care costs in the long run.

Some of these parents I see in Walmart are in walmart for a reason. And it becomes apparent when 250lb mom with 4 kids, each with a different baby daddy, whips out the food stamps while dressed in clothes that look as if rejected from the goodwill store and fuzzy slippers.

Some of these parents barely have a room temperature IQ, yet breed like bunny rabbits in spring.

Is it the parents fault?
---in part, yes.

But like someone said before me...
..."you can't fix stupid".

I don't know what the solution here is, but something has got to give.

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A single solution will not address this issue IMO. Education in part and public schools can do only so much since one meal is consumed under the systems watch. Parenting is key so yes,I do feels this is a type of child abuse, not a protected class.

Neutron bomb?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgpa7wEAz7I

Sorry I just got off the treadmill, entered my calories and saw this thread. It brought out the hate in me. Things are too far gone to fix with a logical solution. Best to just watch Idiocracy and go with it.

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Originally Posted by VEGAN-O-ROID

Sorry I just got off the treadmill, entered my calories and saw this thread. It brought out the hate in me. Things are too far gone to fix with a logical solution. Best to just watch Idiocracy and go with it.

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Hahaha Idiocracy is a great movie.
But kinda frightening how not too far from reality it is!

It is sad, and in some cases it is flat out neglect and disgusting these days.
There is no reason for this to be happening in this day in age when information is everywhere if you just look.

I was one of those obese kids.
Well maybe not 50% BF at that age, that didn't happen until I stopped playing sports as a young teen.

I'm not one to place blame, or play the victim.
That being said, there were a lot of factors in how I got to where I got.

Sure my parents were at fault, they had no clue about diet and nutrition.
I think the majority of my weight gain happened when following that f%@#king god awful food pyramid put out by the USDA back in the 90's

I thank my lucky stars I never became diabetic, or had any health issues from that.
Still have the scars of my past, but not sure I would go back and change anything either.

Turning my mess into a message to help people has been a real fulfilling part of my life, and I don't think I would ever have gotten to this level of fitness without that horrible past.

It's funny, fit childhood friends are now fat, and fat childhood friends are now beasts. Hmmm?

Regardless, there is no excuse for how fat anyone is in this world. And I don't feel a bit sorry for them, ESPECIALLY with all the information people have at their finger tips these days.

Even if their parents buy junky food, its the individuals responsibility to establish control. Its the overeating/inactivity that's putting kids (and adults) in the fat category.

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Originally Posted by Black

Regardless, there is no excuse for how fat anyone is in this world. And I don't feel a bit sorry for them, ESPECIALLY with all the information people have at their finger tips these days.

Even if their parents buy junky food, its the individuals responsibility to establish control. Its the overeating/inactivity that's putting kids (and adults) in the fat category.

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I agree but kids lack reasoning. They won't even develop that until their late teens. They don't think about the future or consequences. Kids wants to eat the shit that tastes good. HELL..... Find me one person on this board that doesn't want to eat junk food if it wouldn't harm them..... Kids don't think about the harm. It's immediate gratification.

While the kids are young..... I blame the parents. They control what enters the house. There's a million reasons why parents give their kids junk food. My sisters ex-fiancé is severely over weight. His mother cooked him THE WORST shit you could imagine. Probably the best tasting shit too lol but she did it because it made him happy. It comforted him. He was an emotional eater..... He'd feel down and turn to food.

People like us..... We turn to the gym. We get satisfaction from a great workout. We take pride in how we look. It's the single most important thing in our lives. Most people don't feel that way tho......

You can always spot Americans while traveling over seas. They are the fat ones! Yes, I thinks child abuse. But most people are just stupid, but you can't fix stupid unless you tell people how stupid they are. Government should not be telling anyone what to do . . . just point out how stupid they are . . . wait that is how the current administration got in power.

This is so true, the US really had the fattest people. Other countries median weight is going up too, but not like the society of the US


I lived all over the place and nowhere is like the US. Every street corner has some sort of fast food restaurant. It's just how the us is designed.

If you really think about it, it's a very unique time in history.

The abundance of food is so great that people have EATING PROBLEMS???

hundreds+ years ago this was not even a conceivable thought...

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Originally Posted by DrewZ

If you really think about it, it's a very unique time in history.

The abundance of food is so great that people have EATING PROBLEMS???

hundreds+ years ago this was not even a conceivable thought...

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I was thinking about this earlier. Its sad that from a survival standpoint, people are wasting food by overeating so much.

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Originally Posted by Hazard

I agree but kids lack reasoning. They won't even develop that until their late teens. They don't think about the future or consequences. Kids wants to eat the shit that tastes good. HELL..... Find me one person on this board that doesn't want to eat junk food if it wouldn't harm them..... Kids don't think about the harm. It's immediate gratification.

While the kids are young..... I blame the parents. They control what enters the house. There's a million reasons why parents give their kids junk food. My sisters ex-fiancé is severely over weight. His mother cooked him THE WORST shit you could imagine. Probably the best tasting shit too lol but she did it because it made him happy. It comforted him. He was an emotional eater..... He'd feel down and turn to food.

People like us..... We turn to the gym. We get satisfaction from a great workout. We take pride in how we look. It's the single most important thing in our lives. Most people don't feel that way tho......

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Very true, age is a big factor. I was more so referencing the average early-teens kids. I agree that its all on the parents when the children are young. Good point.

I am going to say no. This hits home for me. I was severely over weight when I was a child but I was fat athletic. My parents gave me everything in the world but had bad eating habits and didn't (still do not) under stand nutrition. However if I was not fat I would never have been picked on as bad as I was. I would have had a different group of friends as the bad kids were the only ones to accept me. I could see my whole life being different.

My little brother is fat and he always says that his kids wont turn out the way he did because he wont do the same things my parents did but I often think you led by example and when you see a fat parent you usually see a fat kid.

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Originally Posted by Hazard

I agree but kids lack reasoning. They won't even develop that until their late teens. They don't think about the future or consequences. Kids wants to eat the shit that tastes good. HELL..... Find me one person on this board that doesn't want to eat junk food if it wouldn't harm them..... Kids don't think about the harm. It's immediate gratification.

While the kids are young..... I blame the parents. They control what enters the house. There's a million reasons why parents give their kids junk food. My sisters ex-fiancé is severely over weight. His mother cooked him THE WORST shit you could imagine. Probably the best tasting shit too lol but she did it because it made him happy. It comforted him. He was an emotional eater..... He'd feel down and turn to food.

People like us..... We turn to the gym. We get satisfaction from a great workout. We take pride in how we look. It's the single most important thing in our lives. Most people don't feel that way tho......

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I am an emotional eater. Its a very tough cycle to break when you find comfort in food. It feels good for about 10 minutes until your body starts digesting and you feel absolutely awful. Eating is supposed to fuel you not put you to sleep. When I want to binge on something swet it will usually be better but would love some brownies instead

Tubby Tax

I don't have the exact formula for the tax but if you tax "unhealthy foods" so their cost is more in line with real foods. Yeah parents are stupid but when you can feed a kid a $.99 meat like burger verses a $4.99 salad most people with limited budgets will go the cheaper route. Its not telling people what they can and can't eat but its going to cost them more to eat processed garbage.

I agree that it is the parents responsibility but to call it abuse is ridiculous, ignorance, selfish yes. those fat people you see in Walmart are the product of food stamps and a broken welfare system. so in my opinion if there is an abuse it starts with the government run welfare system.

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Originally Posted by evander87

Tubby Tax

I don't have the exact formula for the tax but if you tax "unhealthy foods" so their cost is more in line with real foods. Yeah parents are stupid but when you can feed a kid a $.99 meat like burger verses a $4.99 salad most people with limited budgets will go the cheaper route. Its not telling people what they can and can't eat but its going to cost them more to eat processed garbage.

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100% agree. If crap fast food and the like was more expensive than wholesome/organic food then people would be forced to take the time to learn how to cook healthy meals. Right now money & laziness drives eating habits. The cheaper and the faster the meal is to obtain wins every time with this type of person.

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Originally Posted by Hazard

I agree but kids lack reasoning. They won't even develop that until their late teens. They don't think about the future or consequences. Kids wants to eat the shit that tastes good. HELL..... Find me one person on this board that doesn't want to eat junk food if it wouldn't harm them..... Kids don't think about the harm. It's immediate gratification.

While the kids are young..... I blame the parents. They control what enters the house. There's a million reasons why parents give their kids junk food. My sisters ex-fiancé is severely over weight. His mother cooked him THE WORST shit you could imagine. Probably the best tasting shit too lol but she did it because it made him happy. It comforted him. He was an emotional eater..... He'd feel down and turn to food.

People like us..... We turn to the gym. We get satisfaction from a great workout. We take pride in how we look. It's the single most important thing in our lives. Most people don't feel that way tho......

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I have to agree, Haz. I get pissed at my woman when she brings in the sugary snack shit into the house. Why? Because we will eat it!! I have yet to see a two year old bag of Dorritos in the pantry. Nor a three year old bag of cookies. So it IS the parents fault/responsibility.

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Originally Posted by BigTahl

You can always spot Americans while traveling over seas. They are the fat ones! Yes, I thinks child abuse. But most people are just stupid, but you can't fix stupid unless you tell people how stupid they are. Government should not be telling anyone what to do . . . just point out how stupid they are . . . wait that is how the current administration got in power.

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Not arguing, but when I travel outside the USA, I really don't see the fat asses for some reason. I suspect that grossly obese people don't move around much, nor have the cash to do so? I see fat Americans, and Americans ARE the fattest, I just don't see Walmart Fatties?

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Originally Posted by Rwy

I am going to say no. This hits home for me. I was severely over weight when I was a child but I was fat athletic. My parents gave me everything in the world but had bad eating habits and didn't (still do not) under stand nutrition. However if I was not fat I would never have been picked on as bad as I was. I would have had a different group of friends as the bad kids were the only ones to accept me. I could see my whole life being different.

My little brother is fat and he always says that his kids wont turn out the way he did because he wont do the same things my parents did but I often think you led by example and when you see a fat parent you usually see a fat kid.

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I was the opposite of you. Short/young/skinny and intelligent to boot. (not saying you weren't intelligent) there are others that get bullied unmercifully as well. You just blame yours on your "unique" characteristic.

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Originally Posted by bass

I agree that it is the parents responsibility but to call it abuse is ridiculous, ignorance, selfish yes. those fat people you see in Walmart are the product of food stamps and a broken welfare system. so in my opinion if there is an abuse it starts with the government run welfare system.

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c'mon Bass, my man! really? you going to blame the government for these people's kids being fat? It STARTS with the parents, not the government. The government may be a contributing factor, but so is TV commercialism, grocery store merchandising....

....see my point?

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Originally Posted by Times Roman

I have to agree, Haz. I get pissed at my woman when she brings in the sugary snack shit into the house. Why? Because we will eat it!! I have yet to see a two year old bag of Dorritos in the pantry. Nor a three year old bag of cookies. So it IS the parents fault/responsibility.



Not arguing, but when I travel outside the USA, I really don't see the fat asses for some reason. I suspect that grossly obese people don't move around much, nor have the cash to do so? I see fat Americans, and Americans ARE the fattest, I just don't see Walmart Fatties?



I was the opposite of you. Short/young/skinny and intelligent to boot. (not saying you weren't intelligent) there are others that get bullied unmercifully as well. You just blame yours on your "unique" characteristic.



c'mon Bass, my man! really? you going to blame the government for these people's kids being fat? It STARTS with the parents, not the government. The government may be a contributing factor, but so is TV commercialism, grocery store merchandising....

....see my point?

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I guess you are right TR. Kids go after ones who are afraid to defend themselves. Although being fat helped me win my first couple of fights when I finally decided to stand up for myself lol

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Originally Posted by Times Roman

c'mon Bass, my man! really? you going to blame the government for these people's kids being fat? It STARTS with the parents, not the government. The government may be a contributing factor, but so is TV commercialism, grocery store merchandising....

....see my point?

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no I do see your point and I agree it is the parents responsibility first and foremost. but you can't charge ill informed, ignorant, selfish parents with abuse, abuse is when its done on purpose, I don't think fat parents plan how to fatten their kids! just lazy, selfish or simply don't know any better. what do you expect from people who's responsibility has been taken away from them? my point is these people will never have anything to live for as long as they are fed and housed for free.

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Originally Posted by bass

no I do see your point and I agree it is the parents responsibility first and foremost. but you can't charge ill informed, ignorant, selfish parents with abuse, abuse is when its done on purpose, I don't think fat parents plan how to fatten their kids! just lazy, selfish or simply don't know any better. what do you expect from people who's responsibility has been taken away from them? my point is these people will never have anything to live for as long as they are fed and housed for free.

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no, but you CAN charge them with negligence! =)

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Originally Posted by Hazard

I agree but kids lack reasoning. They won't even develop that until their late teens. They don't think about the future or consequences. Kids wants to eat the shit that tastes good. HELL..... Find me one person on this board that doesn't want to eat junk food if it wouldn't harm them..... Kids don't think about the harm. It's immediate gratification.

While the kids are young..... I blame the parents. They control what enters the house. There's a million reasons why parents give their kids junk food. My sisters ex-fiancé is severely over weight. His mother cooked him THE WORST shit you could imagine. Probably the best tasting shit too lol but she did it because it made him happy. It comforted him. He was an emotional eater..... He'd feel down and turn to food.

People like us..... We turn to the gym. We get satisfaction from a great workout. We take pride in how we look. It's the single most important thing in our lives. Most people don't feel that way tho......

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I was going to post but what can really be added to this. It is spot on.
I damn sure blame the parents, and if they are overweight or obese themselves I would sure think they would want better for their children. It is wrong, it is child abuse. Once a person has the knowledge that eating like that us harmful yet they continue to feed their children that way they are knowingly harming that child. You wanna be a ticking time bomb and be selfish as hell and not take care of yourself even for your children's or loved ones sake even if you cant do it for yourself, ok fine, it makes me sick, but fine. AT least have enough love for your child to want better for them. One reason they dont IMO is because at some point little johnny is going to say,"well Mommy how come you eat ice cream with a shovel then?" God forbid they actually have to consider that question and try to come up with a legit rational answer for it. That or even worse take a good hard look at themselves and actually do something about it.