OMG anyone watching Dr. Phil?

[amandawash]

I don't know why that show bothered me sooooo much, but I woke up again thinking about it. It was so upsetting to see the horrific tantrums from these kids over wanting more or different food. I hate to think of anyone hungry, and I am sure these kids truly *are*- I mean, if all you do is eat and eat and eat, a normal portion would seem so small and they can't understand that they will get used to it

The thought of the health problems these kids are or will be facing just breaks my heart All because some mom didn't want to hear them cry or was too lazy to make a decent meal?

Just not fair!

Lisette- you CRACK ME UP GIRL!!! Dh, who is from the south, came home and I was ranting about the show to him and how they feed that kid sausage and grits every morning, and all he could say was "Mmmmmmm, I miss me some grits." His southern boy comes out whenever there's talk of grits. Me, I can't stand 'em. Yuck!!

[BubblPopElectrc]

I think food is only part of the problem. Exercise is pretty much null of most people's life. We are obbessed with TV, internet, and video games.

You know what peeves me so much? That we rally on things like the Wii Fit. Nothing should replace real, actual exercise.

[tapiocagirl]

It is abuse. The child is now addicted to carbs and the child can only eat what is given to them. they can't drive to the dtore and buy it themselves. It is also abuse when dogs are obese IMO.

[alisonJ]

My husband and I went to brunch on Easter Sunday, just the 2 of us. We sat near a large extended family (several generations)-- there were 14 people at their table. All but one of them was obese (not just overweight). Even the teenagers were obese.

I totally lost my appetite. I only ate half of what I ordered.

Did you know that 20% of 4-year olds are now obese in this country?

Did you know we spend 16% of our gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare, and that it is going to go up from there if we don't get this obesity epidemic under control?

This obesity epidemic is going to cost all of us a lot of money, and it will ruin the quality of life for many. It's sad and frustrating.

[celstu1]

Originally Posted by alisonJ

My husband and I went to brunch on Easter Sunday, just the 2 of us. We sat near a large extended family (several generations)-- there were 14 people at their table. All but one of them was obese (not just overweight). Even the teenagers were obese.

I totally lost my appetite. I only ate half of what I ordered.

Did you know that 20% of 4-year olds are now obese in this country?

Did you know we spend 16% of our gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare, and that it is going to go up from there if we don't get this obesity epidemic under control?

This obesity epidemic is going to cost all of us a lot of money, and it will ruin the quality of life for many. It's sad and frustrating.

I don't know if this is in all states, but Mass disability pays people who are too obese to work. Why is that fair? I know the last governor was trying to cut that out of the budget, I don't live in MA anymore so I don't know how it turned out. I wish it did go away though... our money should not pay for those who did that to themselves. Because we pay their healthcare too and they need more healthcare than I do and I pay my own too... it just does not seem fair to me.

[alisonJ]

The frustrating part of this obesity epidemic is that it is totally preventable.

We have some members right here on YT who have taken responsibility for their health and lost LARGE amounts of weight. One lady I can think of did it recently with gastric bypass surgery, which is by no means the easy way out. Even with the surgery, you have to make a commitment to eating right--for the rest of your life. I really admire her for taking action and doing what she needed to do to improve her health. It CAN be done.

[Akbritt]

Originally Posted by celstu1

I don't know if this is in all states, but Mass disability pays people who are too obese to work. Why is that fair? I know the last governor was trying to cut that out of the budget, I don't live in MA anymore so I don't know how it turned out. I wish it did go away though... our money should not pay for those who did that to themselves. Because we pay their health care too and they need more healthcare than I do and I pay my own too... it just does not seem fair to me.

I dont think that its fair....not at all....being obese is not a disability...especially when it takes years sometime for people who have actual health issues to even qualify...my father has stokes and it took him at least 2 years to qualify for disability.

My daughter isnt obese by any means...but if she gets bored she will ask for food....when she stays with her grand parents...they will feed her all day long...and when she is with me...she gets 3 meals a day....and sometimes a snack....but not most days. On that side of my family....it seems that all the children....even my generation...are over weight...and its because food was used to pacify the kids for whatever reason. I got in to a huge fight with my stepmother when my daughter was 4 months old because she was sneaking my baby fried chicken and mashed potatoes (made with sugar) and telling me i was starving my child. She said, "Well i didnt it with my son." Well her son was overweight his entire life and still is!
Its just really sad that the children are learning how to eat like this and growing up and still eating the same way and will die a early death.

I was always taught to finish your food on your plate...because if you dont you are wasting food...and I've always remembered that and remember getting tummy aches because i ate too much....needless to say....i dont tell my kid that....I'm happy if she eats half of it

[cj125]

Originally Posted by celstu1

I so agree with the abuse charges. I think it is abuse. Its abuse to the child and it's abuse to the system. Obesity is an epidemic and is being paid out for those who do not work or can not work due to their size. Why do taxpayers have to pay for those who feed themselves into unemployment or disability? (obviously this is heredity or genetics aside)
There is NO setting it aside - it has everything to do with it!

My bfs sister is VERY obese. Both of her children are VERY obese. One is 9 and one is 15. It saddens me to see these 2 children eat chinese food leftovers at 11pm at night because they are 'hungry'. On one hand if your child is hungry you don't want to not feed them being a parent, on the other hand don't you know, as the adult, that chinese food leftovers at 11pm is not what you SHOULD feed your child? Her and her husband also smoke in the car with the kids. They are just setting up their children for a lifetime of health problems, its sooooo sad to me. I told BF that he should not let them drive his kids anywhere and then I told him if we EVER had a child together my child would not be allowed to ride in a car with them. I'd pick up and drop off if I had to every time. I am not putting any child (esp my own) around second hand smoke. I smoke.. but NEVER around children. I don't smoke in the car, the house at all and I won't even smoke outside if a child is near me. I do not want to jeapordize any child's health. Hell, I don't smoke around my dogs either! They have lungs too!

People are so lucky to be blessed with children... why do they destroy it?

Excuse me, but... you SMOKE??? I really don't think you're in a position to be talking about their healthcare problems and medical costs. Obviously you're of age and should know better. Hmmm... If you wouldn't jeapordize your childrens' health - why are you jeapordizing yours? Should the rest of us taxpayers pay for your disabiltiy when you get emphazema or cancer? Why would you smoke when they have found ways for you to stop? I mean after all, the medical society has been doing research on smoking for almost 60 years. They have found methods to aid you to stop smoking. I know - because I used to smoke for over 30 years and stopped 10 years ago! When you first start smoking - it's by CHOICE - it's not inherited. You can choose to not go around cigarettes - unlike food. Food is everywhere you go.

I know it's sad and a darn shame about these extremely young children - but obviously the parents need help. What do you think charging them with abuse is going to do? And let me tell you something ladies - it isn't all about sitting on the couch and eating and not exercising! There are plenty of overweight people who exercise - probably more than you.

[cj125]

Originally Posted by jeanm1963

I have a very good friend , her daughter is extremely overweight and in school with my daughter, she is obese for lack of a better word. She always and I mean always has some sort of food in her hand, chips, cookies, dounuts, ice cream all summer long its actually gross, she even eats like a pig, its all over her face, she almost inhales food!! My daughter said kids dont even like to sit near her at lunch because she chomps and gets her food everywhere. I cant even watch her at cookouts because it really is sickening to watch her eat, almost like she has to eat it before someone steals it, she is not 5 but 13 years old... Here is the kicker the mom had gastro by pass surgery because she hated being over weight, she hated the way it made her look ,feel etc.. what I dont understand is why she would let her daughter eat the way she does and the food she eats... I really do believe its child abuse and what you teach your child now sets them up for the future!!

And this is about your very good friend and her daughter? How nice. There but for the grace of God goes you!

[Bruce's_Mom]

Overfeeding children to the point that they are obese is absolutely abuse. Not only is it extremely harmful to them physically but it is harmful to them psychologically. First, kids that are fed to stop tantrums etc are taught that food is a comfort item. Second, the torment kids suffer when they are overweight is indescribable. Regardless of whether the parent needs help or not and irrespective of whether or not they struggle with their own weight, it may not be intentional but make no mistake it is abuse. Just like we do not leave neglected children with drug addicts because the drug addict just needs help, we should not leave obese children whose lives are being cut short and made unhappy with parents who fail to provide them with appropriate nutrition because the parent needs help too.

Although I am not a regular poster here on YT lately, I have in the past posted about my own struggles with my weight, and healthy nutrition and teaching children good eating habits are something I am very passionate about . Now I love my parents and I respect them a great deal, but I would be absolutely lying if I said their attitudes toward food and the way I was fed as a child did not play a large part in my own weight struggles. I was a chubby kid due to over and inappropriate feeding; I could easily have become obese as a teen because I was taught to be an obese person by my family. Children learn behavior. Unfortunately I was mercilessly teased, keep in mind I was nowhere near as fat as the obese children today, and it lead to me developing an eating disorder, which I thought at the time was a natural response because I had never been around people with normal eating habits. Eventually there came a point in my life that I was living off 1 bullion cube a day, eating cotton to avoid feeling hungry, taking 10-20 ephedrine pills per day, and having weekly binges during which I would routinely eat $200 worth of groceries in a sitting and promptly purge. I fought desperately against the fact I reached 100 pounds, and I did so brutally. At 20 years old the size 0 at Old Navy was too big. I fit into the large size children’s clothing. At age 22 I had a heart attack! Not only did I have a heart attack, I had several problems. I was malnourished, dehydrated and had a severe electrolyte imbalance which caused the heart attack. I had edema, muscular atrophy, tearing in my esophagus, gastrointestinal bleeding, thrombocytopenia causing me to have suppressed immune system, ketoacidosis, osteopenia (think preosteporosis), I had not had a period in 3 years (I now may be unable to have children), my teeth that were rotting from vomiting (I did not choose my veneers I had to get them), I had a heart arrhythmia, and peptic ulcers. Essentially I had the body of someone 30-40 years older than I was. All to be thin, because I was a chubby kid, teased relentlessly and had just the right psychological make up to develop an eating disorder. Today I still struggle with my problem and it is difficult.

I guess my point is the parents of these children are either condemning them to poor health, shortened life spans and social exclusion due to obesity or they are creating children that will develop eating disorders that are just as harmful. It may not be PC to blame the obese parents but nonetheless it is disgusting and morally repugnant for a parent to subject a child to that all because some mom didn't want to hear them cry or was too lazy to make a decent meal. If the parents don’t fix the problem someone even if it is CPS needs to step in and fix it for them.

[roxies_mom]

I think I've seen some of these kids on t.v. These are pretty extreme cases and it does seem odd to me that most of the parents are also extremely overweight. At times it's mostly the mother being shown and you have no idea if there even is a father. It is so sad and can you imagine what they must go through at school? The teasing and being cast aside instead of being encouraged to play with the other kids getting some exercize. I have 4 kids. Out of the 4 I have one (he'll be 22 in june) that is overweight. He had allot of issues as a child with skin problems and was put on steroids to help controll it. It was a desperate attempt to help him because it was so miserable for him. His appetite seemed to increase and he started to put on weight. We've always been an active family too. I've always made the efforts for him to eat healthy but the person who talked about once they start driving and moving towards adult hood it's difficult to have much say over it is right. He's pretty heavy now and it doesn't seem to bother him. But it does bother me and I can hear him breathing heavy when he's moving about. I feel at times like my hands are tied because he's an adult. I am worried about his health. He has an adorable gf that is crazy about him. He's like a big sweet teddy bear. As a parent I know how difficult it can be to get them to do the right things sometimes.

[RebelBelle]

From someone who personally struggles with weight issues, let me just say that maybe my mom ISN'T to blame. She too is overweight as was my grandfather and greatgrandmother. The other half of my family is normal weight. My mom raised myself and 4 cousins. Three of us are overweight the other 2 aren't. We ate the same food, participated in the same activities. We live in the South where we did get grits and sausage for breakfast (which by the way would not have been an issue if people knew more about portion control). The difference is that my 2 "normal" cousins have higher metabolisms than the rest of us. Should my mom have forced us to eat less than the "normal" cousins? Or should she have pushed us to excercise more? And where would she have learned portion control or healthy cooking techniques? From her overweight father? Perhaps he should have learned that from his overweight mother?

Maybe what this world needs is a little more education and a little less judgement.

I am extremely overweight and I'm working my butt off everyday to lose it. At what age was my weight problem no longer my mom's fault...16, 18, 21? One day does that responsibility become mine? All I can say is that I KNOW without a doubt that my mom did everything she could for me. I can say that the judgemental people of the world didn't make me want to lose weight. All they made me want to do is go to my room and cry and eat to fill the void.

I'm not saying it's right to push food on your child as a babysitter, in fact just the opposite, but I am saying that you can't judge a book by its cover. There are plenty of people on Disability due to being paralyzed from drinking and driving or being shot because their drug deal went bad or from traumatic brain injuries from overdoses or from cancer from smoking. I go to work everyday and pay my taxes just like everyone else and I deserve the same benefits as every other American.

[roxies_mom]

I'm for more education and less profit and teaching our whole society about good nutrition. We should be allowed to join groups to learn from rather then have to pay huge fees to participate.

[cj125]

Originally Posted by roxies_mom

I think I've seen some of these kids on t.v. These are pretty extreme cases and it does seem odd to me that most of the parents are also extremely overweight. At times it's mostly the mother being shown and you have no idea if there even is a father. It is so sad and can you imagine what they must go through at school? The teasing and being cast aside instead of being encouraged to play with the other kids getting some exercize. I have 4 kids. Out of the 4 I have one (he'll be 22 in june) that is overweight. He had allot of issues as a child with skin problems and was put on steroids to help controll it. It was a desperate attempt to help him because it was so miserable for him. His appetite seemed to increase and he started to put on weight. We've always been an active family too. I've always made the efforts for him to eat healthy but the person who talked about once they start driving and moving towards adult hood it's difficult to have much say over it is right. He's pretty heavy now and it doesn't seem to bother him. But it does bother me and I can hear him breathing heavy when he's moving about. I feel at times like my hands are tied because he's an adult. I am worried about his health. He has an adorable gf that is crazy about him. He's like a big sweet teddy bear. As a parent I know how difficult it can be to get them to do the right things sometimes.

Originally Posted by RebelBelle

From someone who personally struggles with weight issues, let me just say that maybe my mom ISN'T to blame. She too is overweight as was my grandfather and greatgrandmother. The other half of my family is normal weight. My mom raised myself and 4 cousins. Three of us are overweight the other 2 aren't. We ate the same food, participated in the same activities. We live in the South where we did get grits and sausage for breakfast (which by the way would not have been an issue if people knew more about portion control). The difference is that my 2 "normal" cousins have higher metabolisms than the rest of us. Should my mom have forced us to eat less than the "normal" cousins? Or should she have pushed us to excercise more? And where would she have learned portion control or healthy cooking techniques? From her overweight father? Perhaps he should have learned that from his overweight mother?

Maybe what this world needs is a little more education and a little less judgement.

I am extremely overweight and I'm working my butt off everyday to lose it. At what age was my weight problem no longer my mom's fault...16, 18, 21? One day does that responsibility become mine? All I can say is that I KNOW without a doubt that my mom did everything she could for me. I can say that the judgemental people of the world didn't make me want to lose weight. All they made me want to do is go to my room and cry and eat to fill the void.

I'm not saying it's right to push food on your child as a babysitter, in fact just the opposite, but I am saying that you can't judge a book by its cover. There are plenty of people on Disability due to being paralyzed from drinking and driving or being shot because their drug deal went bad or from traumatic brain injuries from overdoses or from cancer from smoking. I go to work everyday and pay my taxes just like everyone else and I deserve the same benefits as every other American.

Originally Posted by roxies_mom

I'm for more education and less profit and teaching our whole society about good nutrition. We should be allowed to join groups to learn from rather then have to pay huge fees to participate.

Good posts!!!