| The number of overweight children is at an | | | | |
| all time high and the numbers are increasing. | | | | But it's Not Malicious |
| Strategies to reverse this disturbing trend | | | | |
| must be created and put into action. One | | | | Allowing a 3 year-old to play outside alone |
| strategy would be to imprison the parents of | | | | is not the same as hitting them with a car. |
| overweight children, as you would the parent | | | | However, if they run into the middle of the |
| of any child being abused. | | | | street and are hit by a car, the parent |
| | | | should still be blamed. The parent did not |
| Overweight Children are Victims of Child | | | | have bad intentions, but they were |
| Abuse | | | | irresponsible. Parents have control over what |
| | | | and how much their children eat. Allowing a |
| Child abuse can be broken down into four | | | | child to become and stay overweight is just |
| distinct groups: child neglect, physical | | | | as bad as force-feeding them unhealthy foods. |
| abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. The | | | | |
| most dangerous and the most reported of the | | | | But The Parents Don't Know Any Better |
| four is child neglect. According to the | | | | |
| MedTerms Medical Dictionary, child neglect is | | | | Many of the parents of overweight children |
| defined as the failure to provide for the | | | | are overweight themselves. They do not |
| shelter, safety, supervision and nutritional | | | | understand the health consequences of being |
| needs of the child. | | | | overweight, or do not know how to lose weight |
| | | | themselves. Ignorance is not an excuse. |
| Parents of overweight children fail to | | | | |
| provide: | | | | Is it acceptable for a smoker to allow their |
| | | | under-age child to smoke? |
| * Nutritional needs - Children need to not | | | | |
| eat too many calories, grams of "bad" fats, | | | | Maybe They Deserve Parole |
| or grams of "bad" carbohydrates. | | | | |
| | | | Allowing a child to become and stay |
| * Supervision - What and when a child is | | | | overweight is child abuse. However, I do not |
| eating should be supervised. What types and | | | | feel these parents should be jailed. I was an |
| how much physical activity a child is getting | | | | overweight child and I do not think my |
| should also be supervised. | | | | parents should have been placed in prison. |
| | | | However, something should be done to make |
| * Safety - Not controlling the habits of a | | | | parents accountable, because the children |
| child can have multiple health consequences | | | | cannot help themselves. |
| in the present and in the future. | | | | |