8 year-old boy with obesity taken away to foster care

The main question i have about this article for everyone is: Is it okay for the government to take children away from their parents purely based on the weight of the child?

This article talks about how a Third grader in Ohio was put into foster care because he was over 200 pounds. The county social worker claimed that his mother was not doing enough to control his weight. They said that the 8 year-old was considered severely obese and was in danger of having certain diseases such as diabetes. The mothers attorney is arguing that the boy was a honor-roll student, and that much worse than his weight is going to be the emotional impact he will have from getting taken from home. His mother had been trying to manage his diet and weight, but siblings and friends were sneaking him midnight snacks and other foods.

Also in his foster home his mother is having trouble keeping up on doctors appointments, and the foster parents are getting financial help from the government.

I wonder why it is that they did not just financially help the birth mother, and scheduled a nutritionist to come in and help the family with his weight? If any child is not being abused emotionally and physically, its going to make everything worse. Obviously This child needs help, but is taking him away from his mother and family the help he needs?

Fight Against Obesity

Recently, the Obama Administration has been working on a new front against childhood obesity. The White House Office of Science & Technology Policy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have continued to push for new technology that can help create a fun incentive for children to work out while playing games in a social network online. 31 experts were at a meeting earlier this month to "offer their knowledge and experience related to game design, entertainment technology, social media, and skill contests." Basically, they are having a contest in order to bring together the best ideas out there that will create an addicting game that convinces children to work out.

Also, Michelle Obama has been working on her "Let's Move" campaign across America that hopes to promote better nutrition for all families. She says that the first step is to stop eating "food desserts" in the next 7 year. Another issue she hopes to face head on is the lack of grocery stores in certain areas. Because of this, many Americans are unable to access fruits and vegetables for their healthy nutrition. That is why Michelle Obama ”pointed to a $400 million healthy food financing initiative as a way not only to help kids eat healthy but develop "an economic engine" in poor communities."

Although many of us live in neighborhoods that have farmer's markets, grocery stores, and other forms of accessing healthy foods, many individuals are stuck eating foods high in saturated fats with nothing to balance out their diets. We need to make a change fast if we want to prevent the exponential growth of obesity.