Overweight versus underweight children?
Change Sucks asked: I can't figure out where else to put this question, forgive me if it's in the wrong place but it pertains directly to parents... W...
I can’t figure out where else to put this question, forgive me if it’s in the wrong place but it pertains directly to parents…
Why is it that society demonizes parents who malnurish/starve their kids BUT then at the same time we are supposed to turn a blind eye so we don’t offend parents who overfeed, causing small children to be sometimes upwards of 50 pounds or more overweight? Both are equally unhealthy, however the overweight child is more likely to just grow up and have many health problems-diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, etc and live with feeling like an outcast. Why do we treat either parent differently than the other? Both do severe damage to their children…
I’m just curious about your thoughts…
Thanks.
I have three children. By all means I let them have their share of “junk” foods, BUT, it’s in moderation. And yes, it’s hard to withstand the nagging of a child when they want another cookie, but I do because it’s not healthy to keep letting them have them… just saying because I think some would think I may not understand.
Also, in terms of the possibility that a child is just naturally “big boned”, that’s fine. But being a little more stocky is seperate from parents allowing their child to become overweight/obese.
As long as a parent feeds their child a predominantly healthy diet and their child gets daily activity/exercise, then there’s no beef. It’s the parents whose cart at the store is full of frozen pizzas, sodas, doritos, and fruit snacks with no sign of actual food and the parents and/or child is notably overweight.
Honestly, I’m not being insensitive, I’m genuinely curious.
I’m glad you pointed that out-not underweight in terms of being a little slim, but genuinely malnurished/starved.
Our youngest is actually VERY slim for her age/height. I actually try to feed her a little extra because it concerns me, but it’s not a medical problem. She’s just the way she is. 
Both make me so sad to see/hear about. I trully believe both should be treated equally because both are equally dangerous, just in their own ways.
Pink-excellent point! Never thought of that… and it’s easier to force feed the underweight than to make drastic lifestyle changes when a person is overweight… wow, lightbulb moment!
Jessica
I agree and think it has to do with the fact that if your child is malnurished and not being taken care of it could actually constitute as abuse. It’s intentional. I don’t think any parent wants their child to be overweight or obese. They are just ignorant.
You are absolutely right. I think that feeding your child junk to the point that they become obese is a form of child abuse. I can’t get my head around why some parents feed their children rubbish constantly. Sure, my kids love all of the naughty things, too, but in moderation! We as parents need to use a little common sense!
A child who is underweight doesn’t mean the parents starve them. My son is 5yrs, underweight and skinny as a tooth pick. He eats a lot through out the day but has a fast metabolism and runs around constantly, leaving him to be really thin. People say to me all the time, “Doesn’t the kid eat?” Then they spend a day with him and are completely taken by surprise. Underweight doesn’t equal health issues, but overweight always does.
I think SOMETIMES parents of overweight children are seen as not caring or not firm. Maybe they try to put their kid on a diet but don’t enforce the rules about it, making them be viewed as a weaker parent. Not saying this is true for all, but for the 2 two kids I know who are over weight, both of the parents give in after the kid has thrown a fit about not being able to have dessert/candy etc. I also think some just overall don’t care. They don’t want to cook, check out food etc..just to pop something into the microwave every night and be done with it.
Hard Question.
I think under-feeding and over-feeding are both forms of neglect/abuse. Children don’t know when to stop eating, and if a parent feeds them large, unhealthy meals at a young age, knowing the effects, I think it’s negligence. And of course, not feeding a child enough is abusive. Both are at fault and should know better.
I think Americans are all about dealing with the issues we can see. We’re practical people. I completely agree with the question you’re asking and I do think it’s unfair. However, an obese child just appears to be more helpless. They have to deal with restrictions due to their weight and it can cause people to feel sorry for them, hence the uproar society has gotten into about childhood obesity. On the other hand, a child that is noticeably thinner than most is only encouraged to eat more. I think the parents of those children should be reprimanded as well because like childhood obesity, childhood anorexia can turn into an addiction with many physical health problems.