Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Should overweight kids be removed from their homes?

Baraka_Guru · 07-19-2011, 08:51 PM

Well, the obesity problem has been pretty bad for a while and it's only getting worse: Latest Figures On Obesity Paint An Uglier Picture : Shots - Health Blog : NPR

Colorado is the best off with an obesity rate of "only" ~20%. That's right, it's considered better off to have a population where 1 out of 5 people have a BMI of over 30 (i.e., if you're 5'8" tall, you weigh over 200 lbs.).

Childhood obesity is a problem: it's an indicator of obesity in adulthood and all the health problems associated with it.

Therefore, childhood obesity is a serious health risk. Consider it along the same lines as asthma or IBS or Crohn's. Do we let these things go untreated? Probably not nearly as much, but I assume it's because these are "real" diseases, while obesity is considered a "lifestyle choice" or a result of laziness or some such. Yeah, but it's too bad kids aren't exactly the best at making decisions of right and wrong. It's why they can't vote, drive, buy alcohol and cigarettes, or have consensual sex with adults.

What to do? I think if doctors identify that child is obese that they have access to both standard and interventional treatments depending on health risk. Of coruse, it's easy for me to say this: I live in a nation with universal health care. Maybe that's part of the problem in the U.S.: the lack of one.

You may have noticed that I haven't talked about overweight people. I mentioned only obese. This means the problem is worse that I've already stated if you include overweight as well. Overweight isn't as bad as obese, but there are still health risks, and being overweight can lead to being obese.

So what are we looking at? Something like 17% of kids aged 2 to 19 are overweight or obese. Again, we're close to the 1 out of 5 number.

More could be done. The CDC lists risk factors that could be focused on more:

Sugar drinks and less healthy foods on school campuses.
Advertising of less healthy foods.
Variation in licensure regulations among child care centers.
Lack of daily, quality physical activity in all schools.
No safe and appealing place, in many communities, to play or be active.
Limited access to healthy affordable foods.
Greater availability of high-energy-dense foods and sugar drinks.
Increasing portion sizes.
Lack of breastfeeding support.
Television and media.

Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Childhood: Problem | DNPAO | CDC

How about instead of taking kids out of homes, we deal with the problem at all the sources: it's not just about the parents. We live in a time where parents cannot hope to be the sole influence over a child's activities and food habits/choices.

A part of me wishes there could be more legislation limiting how certain products are marketed to children or how we organize and manage places where kids are cared for and educated, but I'm not sure this is how to have the most impact. Maybe it's a start.

There is no single solution. It's about addressing the issue on multiple fronts.

I think the biggest problem is ignorance and a lack of will to actively work towards an unified awareness of what's going on.

07-19-2011, 08:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	Well, the obesity problem has been pretty bad for a while and it's only getting worse: Latest Figures On Obesity Paint An Uglier Picture : Shots - Health Blog : NPR Colorado is the best off with an obesity rate of "only" ~20%. That's right, it's considered better off to have a population where 1 out of 5 people have a BMI of over 30 (i.e., if you're 5'8" tall, you weigh over 200 lbs.). Childhood obesity is a problem: it's an indicator of obesity in adulthood and all the health problems associated with it. Therefore, childhood obesity is a serious health risk. Consider it along the same lines as asthma or IBS or Crohn's. Do we let these things go untreated? Probably not nearly as much, but I assume it's because these are "real" diseases, while obesity is considered a "lifestyle choice" or a result of laziness or some such. Yeah, but it's too bad kids aren't exactly the best at making decisions of right and wrong. It's why they can't vote, drive, buy alcohol and cigarettes, or have consensual sex with adults. What to do? I think if doctors identify that child is obese that they have access to both standard and interventional treatments depending on health risk. Of coruse, it's easy for me to say this: I live in a nation with universal health care. Maybe that's part of the problem in the U.S.: the lack of one. You may have noticed that I haven't talked about overweight people. I mentioned only obese. This means the problem is worse that I've already stated if you include overweight as well. Overweight isn't as bad as obese, but there are still health risks, and being overweight can lead to being obese. So what are we looking at? Something like 17% of kids aged 2 to 19 are overweight or obese. Again, we're close to the 1 out of 5 number. More could be done. The CDC lists risk factors that could be focused on more: Sugar drinks and less healthy foods on school campuses. Advertising of less healthy foods. Variation in licensure regulations among child care centers. Lack of daily, quality physical activity in all schools. No safe and appealing place, in many communities, to play or be active. Limited access to healthy affordable foods. Greater availability of high-energy-dense foods and sugar drinks. Increasing portion sizes. Lack of breastfeeding support. Television and media. Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Childhood: Problem \| DNPAO \| CDC How about instead of taking kids out of homes, we deal with the problem at all the sources: it's not just about the parents. We live in a time where parents cannot hope to be the sole influence over a child's activities and food habits/choices. A part of me wishes there could be more legislation limiting how certain products are marketed to children or how we organize and manage places where kids are cared for and educated, but I'm not sure this is how to have the most impact. Maybe it's a start. There is no single solution. It's about addressing the issue on multiple fronts. I think the biggest problem is ignorance and a lack of will to actively work towards an unified awareness of what's going on. __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot Last edited by Baraka_Guru; 07-19-2011 at 08:55 PM..