Is child obesity a form of child abuse?

I just saw this article on USA Today and thought that this was interesting... read it and tell me what ya think...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2009-07-20-ob esityboy_N.htm

I don't think its abuse - I do think the boy and his mother need serious counseling on many fronts, because it appears that this child is an addict - of food. We've all been there which is how we got here and we know its an addiction the same as drugs or alcohol - and god knows there are 14 year old drug addicts and alcoholics, so why not someone addicted to food. It said the mother was trying to control his diet at home, but like any addict if he really has this problem he will find ways to get his 'fix' whether at school or having someone buy him extra food at the store.

The term 'abuse' comes in way to handily for the legal-eagles out there who are just looking for a reason so get their names in the papers or anywhere else. Instead of charging the mother with child abuse sign them both up for The Biggest Loser or a program like that - show the boy how to eat, how to exercise and how to be healthy. It would seem to me that charging his mother with child abuse and taking him away from her may only make matters worse.

And that is my humble opinion...

Wow, very interesting Shan.  What isn't mentioned is that there are many endocrine disorders that can be initiated by the overfeeding of kids that then "takes off" after the hormones are out of balance.   Hard to believe a kid eats himself to 500+ without some kind of hormonal imbalance taking over.   Kids hormones are in overdrive 3 to 4 years earlier than puberty shows up same as the hormones are in overdrive a few years before we think we've hit menopause.  Makes ya think.  If we start off as we intend to go, we'll get there even if we decide halfway through we want to turn back.  Better not to go down the road at all.  As we can all attest, food is not a reward nor does it build self-esteem.  Quite the opposite.

Don't know if I'd call it outright abuse but it's certainly setting them up for failure.

that boy looks so sad!!!

I think that is a problem that needs a whole "village" to treat.
This family is in crisis and they obviously can't fix this themselves.
I think it is a sign of neglect and untreated depression, or endocrine problem or even more comlicated.
So, doctors need to be proactive and engage this family in appropriate treatment - home visits, psychological and nutritional counselling.
The parents need to be informed and held somewhat accountable for what is taught and practiced in their home. Kids/addicts will fill their habit in other ways, too, but home should be "safe".

The school system should respond with reinforcing good habits and engaging activities and building self confidence so overeating isn't the only thing he does. Friends an d neighbors can encourage exercise and provide emotional support.

Why should the whole community get involved? Because we will pay the medical bills for his morbid obesity, either through increases in insurance or taxes. We will also benefit from a healthy young man who can contribute to society.
That's my 2 cents.  Thanks for the post.

Love
Janny

I thought that it was interesting because I knew people as I was growing up that were basically starved as kids... they were weighed every week and if they gained then they only got salads... breakfast and dinner... lunch was bought at school thank God... but you see that kind of talked about in the article...

It sounded like the mom was trying but made a good point you don't know where he is getting food when he isn't home... they also didn't talk about if the other members had issues with weight or anything else health wise...

I would never call it abuse to the point a parent would need arrested, but I do call it neglect in a way.  I would NEVER allow my child to get like this.  You know Brian and I...you seen us before surgery.  I am scared to DEATH of my child being overweight and having to put up with problems because of it.  I think she is bigger now then she should be, but the Dr is not concerned.  She is Extra active so we have that on our side but I do get scared.  I have already spoke to her about being healthy and not getting to the point she will have to be like us later in life.  I will continue to educate her on being healthy through life while heading off any disorders.  We are SURE to tell her how great she is and how perfect she is...we will not give her body image issues, but the kid is a bit flabby in the gut!  It's going to be a struggle with her until she is grown, but I am willing to take it on so she stays healthy her whole life and not just let her do as she wishes.  It pains me to see kids so out of control and the parents unable to help.  This should have been stopped long ago with this child.  

I didn't read the article yet, but will, but before I do, I did see a few of the comments above...and I did eat outside of my home....I remember my grandpartents who raised me, and I only visited my mom during the summer and when she came up from Phila to the mountains to see me on weekends sometime. and I would eat the right way with my gram, who was extremley strict. in all ways, and I'd take a dollar worth of change or so and go and buy penny candy, ususally one dollars worth and usually chocolate and go up and sit on the railroad tracks and eat all 100 pieces.............and then go home....and when my mom did visit me she would always buy me anything I wanted out of guilt............and in the summer when I stayed in Phila. with her she again let me have anything I wanted....I remember in aroundl 1962 or so in Germantown, where she lived at that time there was a corner ice cream store (hand dipped) and we would get a container each and a bag of wise chips, and we would sit in her bedroom with a TV set (not everyone had a tv in their bedroom in 1962) and we'd eat eat eat...of  course my mom wasen't heavy, but II  was....................and as a teenager, I'd  stop and eat before I'd go home to dinner and end up eating two dinners..............just saying I was dysfunctional without my mom or anyone abusing me...................I had two brothers, older and they were never fat, no tthey ended up being alcoholics, just wanted to say, in the end I am still the one who over ate in  my case, my gram didn't have junk in the house and their was no money for such things.....maybe I should read the article and keep my mouth shut?        but I never had any children of my own, my husband had two when I married them, but if I had I always said I would not let them get fat like I did................................but now that I am a grandmother of four young kids, I do od them with goodies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  want to be the one they like.......so I guess I am bad?  three of them are reg. weight and one is heavy,  I see the one heavy and and see myself as a child always looking at food.as comfort...............wow......really making me think today....................LOis

I would not consider it abuse but neglect yes. I do think that it is a parents responsiblility at least while they are home to make sure their child is eating right and good. I know parents cannot stop their children from eating outside the home but at least raise your children with the healthy choices so they do not become overweight. Weirdest thing when I was growing up is that we hardly had any food in our house..but what we did have was bad for us because it was cheap to buy. I grew up where we only ate like twice or once a day if that. I got used to it and well ended up becoming a pepsiholic and drank soda all day long from morning til night. But hardly eating anythign and when we did I ate so fast because I was hungry. however in my family its a genetic thing for everyone to be overweight..it is common. Everyone in my family is way above the average size person. I just wish that I had the gene that didnt make me fat and had that where I could eat anything and not gain a pound. I have a nephew who is 130lbs at 10 years old...I lecture my sister all the time telling her she needs to make him eat better. But he tells me he gets up at night to eat so hes not eating in front of anyone because my sister and his father tell him he needs to not eat so much and hes fat...I do not think that is right either. She hides the junk food but he finds it. I told her not to have it at all. Well she obviously doesnt care maybe I should show her this article.

I didnt read the article yet, but immediately say YES (given that the child is morbidly obese).

...I could go on and on, but won't due to privacy reasons.