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