http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585 The answer to that question is a resounding yes for some social workers and doctors in the United Kingdom.  There has been an increasing trend in the UK to treat <a href="http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/child_obesity.html">obese children</a> in the same fashion as children reported to be at risk from physical or sexual abuse.  Beyond merely insuring that parents have to work together with national health authorities to deal with cases of obese children, there are <a href="http://www.timeso en-us Tue, 30 Jan 2007 08:54:43 EST Fri, 2 Feb 2007 19:51:07 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#17 My mother's liver gave up a couple of years ago, and she has been slowly recovering since then. One of the many things that she can not eat is domesticated livestock - but game is fine. So my parents have been enjoying rabbit, deer, etc. for the past few y Fri, 2 Feb 2007 19:51:07 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#16 <i>There is a wide line between the freaks that pop up on cable news and trash tv and an everyday chubby kid.</i><p> But those "freaks" do exist. I can't know for sure whether this story relates solely to those whose lives are in jeopardy and whose parents Thu, 1 Feb 2007 10:04:32 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#15 <i>but the laws tend to be written in order to punish the people who don't want to share a particular moral code.</i><p> I have heard stories that the parliamentarians in Sweden only legislate laws banning their own character faults.  Also, in Denmark Thu, 1 Feb 2007 02:34:20 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#14 One of the curious things about liberal democracies is how the collective will of busybodies results in attempts to create laws which would people for having "bad" character attributes. For example, in the 20th century in America, right wingers have been Thu, 1 Feb 2007 00:51:21 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#13 I don't know the answers, Shane. I had a hard enough time getting my daughter to eat....period. <p> In most of these cases, the parents admitted to a diet primarily consisting of junk food, though, so that stuff is more appealing and calorie-dense. <p> Onc Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:37:30 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#12 <i>But, unless the child is overweight (extremely morbidly obese) to the point where they are physically unable to carry on day to day activity I would rather the government take a more advisory role, if any.</i><p> Agreed. And those are precisely the chil Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:32:55 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#11 If these kids had pump action shotguns, like I did as a boy, they could shoot nutritious and low fat wild game to eat. The hunt itself is healthy excercise. This highlights the contrast between growing up in a free country and a police state which is what Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:54:17 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#10 Maybe there is a correlation in the temperature you keep your house at?  My house is wood-heated and often cold, especially at night.  Energy spent keeping the body warm can't be turned into fat...<p> But you make a good point, what affects a per Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:19:45 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#9 We have no TV and eat fairly healthy foods...  we never drink soda and rarely drink juice... that may have something to do with it.  Only one of us parents is skinny..<p> We do have 4 apple trees and I have noticed that apples tend to fall close Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:12:39 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#8 Seeing as how you mentioned food stamps, here's a look at the <a href="http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/applicant_recipients/using_foodstamps.htm">rules regarding what can, and can't, be bought using food stamps</a>.  Note that you can't use them for food Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:04:24 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#7 I really believe in minimal government intervention in situations like this. I can see where some would be concerned (Oh! Think of the Children!) and I think it is horrible that children are already overweight. But, unless the child is overweight (extremel Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:39:42 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#6 It's a genetic lottery.  I have a toddler who is average stocky, and we're lazy bastards.  My sister-in-law has an obese toddler, who was born at 13 pounds! and has been heavy since birth.  I've had him for sleepovers, and all day events, an Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:25:44 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#5 <i>and I can't really imagine how you could get so much food into them that they would be obese, or even fat.  All they ever do is run, and they don't even want to stop to eat.</i><p> "An apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."  Where are you Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:07:28 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#4 How exactly does someone raise an obese toddler?  And why would they put them on TV?  I have one toddler and my other child is just a bit older than toddler... and I can't really imagine how you could get so much food into them that they would be Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:02:29 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#3 <i>To be badly educated is not dangerous</i><p> Methinks the article's author needs to spend some time among the general prison population and/or welfare offices. Tue, 30 Jan 2007 10:48:29 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#2 <i>A parent that let's the kid hit the ding-dongs a little hard (or the crisps if you will), or a child that doesn't read to their kids a few times a week?</i><p> In fairness, though, the article does include this:<p> <i>The state intervenes with schooling Tue, 30 Jan 2007 10:36:40 EST http://www.treesandthings.com/story/2007/1/29/1097/32585#1 ...I mean I fail to see anything that could possibly go wrong with that plan.<p> Here is a little gedankenexperiment for everyone though... what do you think is worse for a child in the long term?  A parent that let's the kid hit the ding-dongs a litt Tue, 30 Jan 2007 10:04:46 EST string http://www.treesandthings.com/search/