Children's Health & Fitness ? Obese Kids Taken Away From Their ...

July 14th, 2012 by Len Saunders

From PolicyMic?..

The federal government?s response to the obesity epidemic has been nothing short of ridiculous. But it appears that America?s busybodies have been bested by their Australian counterparts. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Department of Human Services in Victoria, Australia has removed several severely obese children from their homes, because their health is in jeopardy. The agency says it has intervened and requested court orders to place the children in state care.

Obesity experts have come forward to remind DHS why taking children from their parents is a lousy idea in this case. But not all experts agree. This kind of government overreach is actually considered a legitimate response by some researchers here at home. An editorial published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association defended the idea using the same rationale the DHS in Victoria used. So just in case this anti-obesity measure ever gains traction, let?s take a look at a few reasons why it?s tremendously idiotic.

Putting aside the obvious legal and logistical problems with this proposal, let?s assume that parents are entirely responsible for their children?s weight gain, and some kind of intervention is necessary. Putting overweight kids in the foster care system is still not the answer. Though pulling kids out of their homes may help them lose weight, the editorial cites some examples in support, their health and welfare would very likely suffer in other and worse ways. Research shows that children who enter foster care have higher rates of emotional and behavioral disorders, earn less money, and are more likely to become delinquents. According to one study, children in foster homes were worse off than troubled children who stayed with their families. In others words, we?d be swapping overweight kids for thin kids with serious psychological disorders. That hardly sounds like a sensible solution to obesity.

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Entry Filed under: Health / Fitness Articles

Source: http://www.lensaunders.com/wp/?p=2119

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