Child weight surgery becoming more common

[AOII_LB93]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16981527/
NEW YORK - As the popularity of stomach surgery has skyrocketed among obese adults, a growing number of doctors are asking, “Why not children, too?”

For decades, the number of kids trying weight-loss surgery has been tiny. The operations themselves were risky, with a death rate of about 1 in 50. Children rarely got that fat, and when they did, pediatricians hesitated to put the developing bodies under the knife. Only 350 U.S. kids had such an operation in 2004, according to federal statistics.

Read the rest from the link above...pretty sad if you ask me. I don't think kids should be getting gastric bypass...and my question is, are they educating these children's parents about proper eating when they show up at these clinics wanting the surgery? What kind of impact does this have on these kids? Is it teaching them that you can go ahead and get fat if you have 25K for the surgery later on?

I'm still pondering the issue.

[James]

Wow.

I know a lot of people that have done one of those two surgeries and they readily admit they had to get them because they never excercised self-will when it comes to food or activity level.

Its hard to control the time of the adult, but wouldn't it be equally effective to put a child in a "fat" camp for some time? You could totally control their calories and activity.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by James

Wow.

I know a lot of people that have done one of those two surgeries and they readily admit they had to get them because they never excercised self-will when it comes to food or activity level.

Its hard to control the time of the adult, but wouldn't it be equally effective to put a child in a "fat" camp for some time? You could totally control their calories and activity.

Have you seen the 5 year old that weighs about 300 lbs? She's the size of 4 "regular" 5 year old girls.

She eats uncontrollably and can barely walk. It's sad. She screams when her mom tries to give her health food.

The family is getting an intervention. I wonder what they will end up doing with her.

[James]

Hmm. I have to admit I have never thought about someone that young being that heavy.

I think the pilot study was done on 13-17 year olds.

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Have you seen the 5 year old that weighs about 300 lbs? She's the size of 4 "regular" 5 year old girls.

She eats uncontrollably and can barely walk. It's sad. She screams when her mom tries to give her health food.

The family is getting an intervention. I wonder what they will end up doing with her.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by James

Hmm. I have to admit I have never thought about someone that young being that heavy.

I think the pilot study was done on 13-17 year olds.

Yeah. Maury Povich has made a spectacle of obese kids under a certain age. I wonder if he actually helps the kids instead of just helping his ratings.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Have you seen the 5 year old that weighs about 300 lbs? She's the size of 4 "regular" 5 year old girls.

She eats uncontrollably and can barely walk. It's sad. She screams when her mom tries to give her health food.

The family is getting an intervention. I wonder what they will end up doing with her.

Damn.

Usually "failure to thrive" is used to describe underweight children. Considering that childhood obesity is just as (if not more) harmful, it would seem that allowing your child to become 300lbs at the age of 5 should be considered child abuse in the same manner that not providing enough food is.

Those parents (that parent) need(s) to be able to tell that 5 year old "no," or that kid needs to go into protective services.

I seriously question a society that allows people like that to pop out babies.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Damn.

Usually "failure to thrive" is used to describe underweight children. Considering that childhood obesity is just as (if not more) harmful, it would seem that allowing your child to become 300lbs at the age of 5 should be considered child abuse in the same manner that not providing enough food is.

Those parents (that parent) need(s) to be able to tell that 5 year old "no," or that kid needs to go into protective services.

I seriously question a society that allows people like that to pop out babies.

The mother is also overweight. She showed her refrigerator and there was health food in there. Perhaps because she ditched the junk food for the interview and stocked up on health foods.

There's an actual illness that causes people to overeat so I don't know if child abuse accusations would hold.

They showed the little girl waddling around and trying to sit up--even gave slow motion effects. Her face was distorted due to her weight. Very sad but, I have admit, also grotesque looking. Sympathy and shock is the effect the media was probably going for.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

The mother is also overweight. She showed her refrigerator and there was health food in there. Perhaps because she ditched the junk food for the interview and stocked up on health foods.

There's an actual illness that causes people to overeat so I don't know if child abuse accusations would hold.

They showed the little girl waddling around and trying to sit up--even gave slow motion effects. Her face was distorted due to her weight. Very sad but, I have admit, also grotesque looking. Sympathy and shock is the effect the media was probably going for.

Disability or no, that mother is not a fit parent (at least judging by the information presented here). That kid needs to go into protective custody.

I'm sure that with proper counseling, etc., mom could be educated on how to provide for her child, but currently, the kid is facing a lifetime of disability because of what mother allows it to consume.

The situation should not have been allowed to become this serious. In a society where parents are reported to human services for underweight kids, don't you think grotesquely overweight kids merit the same children as they are being exposed to similar risks?

In the UK, it seems that they agree with me FWIW.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1774

[winnieb]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Have you seen the 5 year old that weighs about 300 lbs? She's the size of 4 "regular" 5 year old girls.

That is AWFUL! That isn't even the size of 4 regular 5 yr olds-- that would be 75lbs a piece and I consider that heavy for a 5 yr old.
Any mother that allows her child to gain that much weight should be charged with child endangerment!

I have a friend whose nephews are seriously overweight-- the 4 yr old outweighs my 5 and 8 yr olds combined-- and the 13 yr old boy weighs about 230lbs right now. It is very sad!!!

My kids school does snacks during kindergarten and 1st grade. We have an approved list of food-- the snack bucket rotates so each family is responsible for buy snacks once a month for the entire class. If the snack is not on the approved list it cannot be served. The approved list includes: yogurt, fruit snacks, crackers, veggies, fruits, etc-- candy, cookies, cakes are not allowed.

My boys are very aware of the food they eat-- I think in our school healthy food and eating habits are very much pushed. Granted my kids love having happy meals and candy but they know how to read food labels, they learned it in PE. Both my kids make a point to exercise and worry about the food they eat (it is kind of odd to watch two little boys be concerned w/ the calories and fat in their food!) But both boys are very healthy and active---my 5yr old weighs 55lbs and the 8 yr old weighs 65lbs. For snacks at night they have fruit, they aren't allowed to sit around and play video games and watch tv, i do allow it- but they also must go out and move around.
I think it is a matter of parents taking control-- not always doing what is easy (like watching tv and handing out snack cakes) --but taking an active role in the kids lives and helping them develope a healthy lifestyle.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by winnieb

That is AWFUL! That isn't even the size of 4 regular 5 yr olds-- that would be 75lbs a piece and I consider that heavy for a 5 yr old.

You're right, the typical weight of a 5 yr old is about 50 lbs.

So she weights about 200-250lbs--the size of 4 or 5 5 year olds.

[winnieb]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

You're right, the typical weight of a 5 yr old is about 50 lbs.

So she weights about 200-250lbs--the size of 4 or 5 5 year olds.

either way-- its horrid!

[ufdale]

Originally Posted by winnieb

I think it is a matter of parents taking control-- not always doing what is easy (like watching tv and handing out snack cakes) --but taking an active role in the kids lives and helping them develope a healthy lifestyle.

I think even if the kids know what to eat, it's hard to stick to a healthy diet when the parents aren't all for it (like mine!). I'm a really healthy eater and I love eating healthy, but it helps SO MUCH that my roomates and I (2 guys, 2 girls) refuse to have anything "hand-accessible" in the kitchen (no chips, pretzels, granola bars, or anything that doesn't need cooked, other than carrots and veggies). My mom has this huge, walk-in pantry that is so stuffed with junk food that food falls out at you everytime you open the door. Everyone asks her to stop buying the food (even my overweight little sis who's 11), but she likes eating it.