User Comments

1. 

   10/19/09

   amybyrd21

   I have no clue. To get a child that fat you would have to hold it down and feed it with force or they have a medical problem. I let my son eat what he wants but he is skinny. He eats alot of good food as I dont keep junk food in my house most of the time. I think it is sad when children get that way and their parents do nothing about it.

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2. 

   10/19/09

   Agit8r

   It could be medical. If you say the kid at Old Country Buffet looking like that, the assumption would certainly be safe...

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   1. 

      10/19/09

      lotusb

      Well I feel like I sufficiently sniffed it out. Every thing in her mother's grocery cart was loaded with sugar, salt, fat and grease.
   2. 

      10/19/09

      Agit8r

      well, that would do it
      
      *pictures a stack of pre-made frosting and cookie dough*
3. 

   10/19/09

   amybyrd21

   some people need to be taught how to eat better. My kids hate me because I dont do the junk food thing. We have a hambuger or a pizza once a week if that and no chips candy or any other kind of junk food in the house. I do cook with real butter and lard but I use it in moderation. I have seen people at walmart with two buggies of junk food at the check out. I couldnt afford it much less feed it to my kids.

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   1. 

      10/19/09

      lotusb

      I agree with that, the price alone for that crap should be enough of a deterrant. My mother never bought any of that either, my parents were pretty determined to feed us vegetables and home-cooked meals. Looking back I REALLY appriciate it, I'm sure your kids will too.
   2. 

      10/19/09

      Agit8r

      "price alone for that crap should be enough of a deterrant"
      
      unfortunately such things can be purchased with food stamps. What elso would people spend them of, veggies?
   3. 

      10/19/09

      MadameX

      Also unfortunately, those things are much less expensive than items like fresh vegetables and lean cuts of meat. Beefaroni is 88 cents a can and you can feed three kids on a $3 frozen pizza, but creating chicken stir fry with fresh vegetables for the same group runs about $10.
   4. 

      10/19/09

      Agit8r

      yes, vegetables cost a lot. At least seasonally, those with time can grow their own. If one has a cold basement, they can use it like a makeshift root cellar. Unfortunately these are not options for everyone
   5. 

      10/19/09

      lotusb

      You can grow your own, you can buy whatever veggies are on sale, even canned or frozen. There were times when my family had no money...and yes were even on welfare for abit. My mother NEVER fed us junk like that.
   6. 

      10/19/09

      MadameX

      I was responding to the fact that two different people had suggested that the price of the "bad food" should in itself rule it out--much of it is a lot cheaper than healthier food. That's all.
   7. 

      10/19/09

      lotusb

      I said that. And my comment wasn't directed at you specifically. I understand that a lot of those foods cost less. But I think that no matter what your child's health should not be sacrificed.
4. 

   10/19/09

   Floormodel

   I was at our city public market this weekend and noticed that all of the fruit and veggie venders accepted food stamps and their prices were very resonable. But the lines were small for those things. At the grocery store on the way home we had too many items for the fast lanes and had to wait in line witj many parents and kids who had carts overloaded with sugary cereals, cookies, chips, soda, and frozen pizzas. The fault for most of this lies with the parents but short of forced education about nutrition, what can be done?

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   1. 

      10/19/09

      lotusb

      I suppose its one of those things that starts with you and me. I make it a point to talk to people I love about nutirition. Friends and family have all made changes in their diet, even small ones, based on information I provided them. I think word of mouth has a huge impact on people's dicisions.
5. 

   10/19/09

   pillownaut

   I don't know if it's intentional, but yes, I do think it is child abuse as much as it is ignorance of nutrition or long-term effects.
   
   I saw a case on TruTV once of a woman who lost her two children to the state because of over-feeding. While trying to get them back, she was then barred even from supervised visits because she would show up with cookies and bags of McDonald's burgers. It was like some kind of compulsion; she thought constantly feeding them meant she loved them more.
   
   I also saw this case during summer... had to google around to find it again: www.abajournal.com/news/mom_accused_of_neglecting_555-pound_son_by_overfeed...
   
   in this case, they did indeed call it "criminal neglect" in the medical sense.

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6. 

   10/19/09

   sjtavo

   I think it should be - child endangerment, child "neglect", child abuse. I don't care what you call it - for a child to be grossly overweight is inexcusable. I was a chubby child but was not grossly obese - my weight has been a battle all my life and I'm by no means huge - I just am not the size two's that my sisters are. However, I also wasn't raised to live on twinkies and coke - well-balanced meals, minimal quantities of soda, no lounging and watching tv after school - you did your homework, you played, you read books. We weren't allowed to just veg out.

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