Should doctors tell obese kids they're obese?

Normally if a doctor evaluates a child as overweight or obese, (s)he would note that in the child's chart, but tell the child that he or she needs to get more exercise, and not eat a lot of caloric, fatty food. The doctor doesn't say to the child, "You are obese!"

[MrsMarsters]

strange over here i always see tons of kids playing outside...which I was amazed...

[suede]

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

When's the last time you saw kids playing outside in the neighborhood? I go back to my suburb, and there are NO kids outside. None. It's fucking eerie. I used to go bombing around in my bike every day, play capture the flag, run around in the creeks and forests...

Now all kids do is sit on their asses and play videogames.

The only kids that are outside by me are Latin or Mexican - the white kids are no where to be seen outside of school.

Now ask me which kids are fat.

[A*O]

Originally Posted by JenPitt

Normally if a doctor evaluates a child as overweight or obese, (s)he would note that in the child's chart, but tell the child that he or she needs to get more exercise, and not eat a lot of caloric, fatty food. The doctor doesn't say to the child, "You are obese!"

Oh come on, 99% of obese kids have NO idea what 'fatty, calorific' food is in the first place so they sure as hell won't know how to avoid it. Neither do their ignorant parents, which is why they continue to shovel junk down their throats and then invent all kinds of bogus 'medical conditions' to explain why they are grossly overweight. My own particular rant is the OBSCENE portion sizes served in most restaurants these days, and not only fastfood outlets. If people just ate half as much, even of junk, they'd lose weight.

[DeChayz]

I'm with you on the portions thing A*O; At the Chinese place near me, I can order the lunch special and it will last me - no joke - 3 days.

[moomies]

This reminds me of the show Honey We Are Killing the Kids. The nutritionist tells the parents to face the reality or their kids will turn out all unhealthy, ugly and die young (usually "won't make it past 50" etc) but the episodes I've seen, parents usually cave in and give up on the healthy eating and exercise program...

Originally Posted by A*O

Oh come on, 99% of obese kids have NO idea what 'fatty, calorific' food is in the first place so they sure as hell won't know how to avoid it. Neither do their ignorant parents, which is why they continue to shovel junk down their throats and then invent all kinds of bogus 'medical conditions' to explain why they are grossly overweight. My own particular rant is the OBSCENE portion sizes served in most restaurants these days, and not only fastfood outlets. If people just ate half as much, even of junk, they'd lose weight.

99 percent of obese kids have no idea what junk food is? Come on.

[A*O]

No, if you look at the number of fat kids and teenagers hanging out at any fastfood outlet and what they are stuffing down their necks I don't think they they have a clue about 'healthy eating' and what foods are high in fat and/or calories, or if they do know they obviously don't care. And neither do their parents. That's the problem. McDonalds are moving into damage limitation by pushing their 'healthy' salads and I believe they have now stopped offering the supersize option but there's still a lot of people out there who flatly refuse to eat ANY kind of fresh fruit or vegetable, mainly because they've been brought up on junk from day one and don't know any different. I also think that the increase in eating disorders can be blamed partly on the fact that kids just don't understand about a healthy, balanced diet and exercise so if a fat teenager wants to lose weight then she/he thinks the only option is starvation.

[Tiara]

I don't think it's a case of not knowing what junk food is, I just think kid's don't care and don't see how serious obesity is.

[A*O]

That's true too. When you are young and dumb you can drink and take drugs and overeat and do crazy stuff because you are immortal and invincible and only old people actually DIE, right?

[Tiara]

I was actually just talking about young children and junk food, nobody else mentioned drink and drugs

[Lobelia]

The principle is the same, though. Kids don't worry about doing harmful things, whether it's bad food, smoking, drinking, reckless driving, whatever because they think they're invincible. Or they think if they DO die, they'll go out in a blaze of glory, with no pain. As you grow up, you become more concerned about your health, and you try not to lose limbs & bodily functions etc.

I nag my husband about wearing his seatbelt. He's quipped that if he dies, I'll get life insurance. I tell him that chances are, I'll just end up feeding him & changing his damn diaper for the rest of his life.

[Grimmlok]

Your husband doesn't wear a seatbelt?

... well that's just stupid!

Up here in the frozen north, it's illegal not to and you're indoctrinated at a very young age to know all about its safety..

[Lobelia]

He doesn't wear it consistently. Yes, it is stupid, and I spare no opportunity to tell him that. He has always made the kids wear them. I think he doesn't like the way they wrinkle his spiffy shirts. Still, stupid. It's also illegal here, and believe me, we're just as indoctrinated. It makes me want to smack him.

[A*O]

Originally Posted by Tiara

I was actually just talking about young children and junk food, nobody else mentioned drink and drugs

I was actually making a GENERAL point about young people and irresponsible behaviour.