is it okay to let a child be fat?
89839
Baby fat is natural, but an overweight child is not.  If you allow a child to be sedentary and be overweight, you are setting the child up to be an unhealthy, fat adult.
470327
I guess it depends on your height.  (I'm a guy)- at 12, I weighed between 85 and 105, and I was one of the shortest kids in the grade (hit my growth spurt).  If you feel you're fat, don't worry about it too much.  Dieting this early is a bit unhealthy.  Just try and exercise to prevent from gaining more weight- if you lose some, that's even better.
593405
Not even near 300, I went to a restaurant one day and sat near a mother and daughter.  She was the cutest 5 year old you could imagine.\n\nNow, true to form, she said to her mom, pointing at me, 'Mom, he's really fat!'.  And I kept my composure as her mom told her that wasn't nice and to stop.  After a couple of times, she had to take her stand for what she believed in, stood up, pointed at me, and said, 'MOM!!! YOUR DON'T UNDERSTAND!! HE IS REAAAAALLLYYY FAATTTT!!!'.  She announced her convictions to the world in such a way that no one could doubt who said it, and who she was pointing at.\n\nI put my utensils down...put money on the table, and just walked out and went somewhere else to eat...ALONE.\n\nIt's not your business how other people run their lives, and that goes for fat, smoking, or any other idiosyncrasies they have.\n\nPolitically corect is minding your own business to the general public, you don't know and it's not their responsibility to explain their life to anyone that thinks differently.
365141
The best way is by example.  Create an exercise program for yourself and invite your kids to join you.  Eat healthy yourself and tell them how good you're feeling, offer them your foods.  Most kids want to please their parents.  Good luck!\n\nPS - with all due respect to others, that software program is cruel.  It puts the idea into the heads of children that if they DO end up looking like this, they will somehow be less worthy of your love.  BAD IDEA.  \n\nTell your children they are wonderful and perfect the way they are, then make weight loss and healthy eating a positive thing, not a "do this to fix the bad in your life" thing.    PLEASE don't make your children ever feel like your love is affected by their physical appearance!  (I DESPISE that new TLC show!)
264025
Discourage it... kids need to learn how to eat better..... dieting has a negative connotation.  Kids need to learn about portion size, moderation, and what foods are good for their body.
474473
Take them to their doctor first. You may think your child is overweight, when in fact the child is fine. Your docotr will probably give you a plan is weight loss is needed.\n\nGet them outside to PLAY. Have them eat nutrious food, no junk food. MOST of all...YOU do it too. Let your child see that it is fun to exercise and eat healthy.
856500
Maybe not forced but encouraged. If you only have healthy food around and keep the sweets minimal then good eating habits will come naturally. For children who already have bad eating habits it can take some work on getting them to eat correctly but when they get hungry enough they will eat what ever you put infront of them. I run a daycare and I keep the sweets out. Children at first complain that I don't have the chips and sweets they are used to but after a while I hear the parents comments on how they can no longer keep fruit and vegetables stocked in their homes. I have taught the children that good eating can be better and sweeter (if cooked correctly) then candy and junk food. It has gone a long way.
895317
no she's not overweight. tell her that's her correct weight, so don't stress about it in-less she wants to be anorexic. my little sister has the same weight, and she's 12.
60266
i don't know why you put that in there about getting hungry!...but i think i would do it.  i find that sort of thing interesting.  it's a very special calling, and i think that people who feel like it's for them should pursue it.  (not if it makes them hungy, though.)  as long as you are respectful and mature about it...remember, that is someone's son/daughter/mother/father, etc., there is nothing wrong with it.
734662
if u don't fatasize about ur own family members i don't think it is that wrong. i think it is pretty normal and i guess a lot of people go through stages like that and just don't want to admit it. i think you'll eventually grow out of this notion and look back and be like omg wut was i thinking. i hope i helped...\n:)
909494
I don't believe we should ban trans fats nor bad food. I believe that everyone that is an adult makes a choice in life whether they want to each the healthy food or not. I believe in moderation. I love when I eat healthy because I feel so good afterwards yet a couple times a month I can not stay away from the yummy greasy, super processed food. If you look at your food packages now a days there should be a label on the front stating how much trans fat, problem with is that a lot of the food doesnt have any it is actually that food that you buy at the fast food restuarants that have it but you would never know because they dont require them to put it on the wrapper of the food. Moderation is the key! and remember that these obese kids look to the parents and what they are feeding the kids, kids rarely know rights from wrong in the food department they know what tastes good and that is what matters. As long as a parent is modeling unhealthy food choices a child will follow if they are shown that healthy food choices can be made fun and tasty they are more likely to take that route.
919882
I think it's cool - there's nothing wrong with it, if the parent doesn't want the kid to have it, then they can throw it out.  Obesity starts at home, with mom or dad.  Kids learn from example.  My husband was obese all his life because his mom was a single mom who worked two jobs.  She did what she had to do.  But she refused help from family and friends to help with her boys.  So they came home from school, raided the cabinets, and played videogames all night. \n\nNo adult supervision = kids doing whatever they want = kids being unhealthy, not just in obesity ways.
133525
If they have a small frame and in good health.  It isn't bad to be skinny.  I would worry about a 14 year old at 46 pounds--that would be a problem.\n\nTake the child to the doctor if you have any health concerns.  That is always the best policy.
304702
What a hum dinger. both people beat them selves up about how they look, but ultimately it goes back to wehter you can get in a bikini or underware or your bathroom. Fat people have not much, so they should be alowed to. Their lives are hell i don't think it should be an issue.
1139502
yap. happiness is not in size 2 or 4. as long as a person is healthy and is not too much over weight,  s/he should be fine with the weight.
819822
It all depends on how tall she is. My daughter is 8 going to be 9 in 3 months and she weighs 98lbs. But, but she is also 5'3(I ain't lying either, her father is 7'0) She too feels that she is over weight. I have to have talks with her everday. Kids in school tease her about how big she is(as you can imagine she towers over them), its hard for kids to be kids these day and ages. I truly feel bad for kids today. Tell her that shes beautiful and that it doesnt matter what anyone else says, as long as she and her family  thinks shes fine.
187286
Why are you worried about losing weight now? Enjoy life. If kids pick on you, beat them up or just ignore them. You are too young to be worrying about your weight unless your weight is a health risk.