USA Today

Helping a child lose 100 pounds or more is a brutal, uphill battle even with intense diet and behavior treatment, national childhood obesity experts say.

Interest in the treatment of severely obese children is in the spotlight this week after the news that an 8-year-old Cleveland boy who weighed more than 200 pounds was taken from his family and put into foster care. Social workers said it was necessary because the third-grader’s mother wasn’t doing enough about his weight.

I don’t agree that this child should have been taken away from his mother unless the situation was an out of control ongoing situation.

The authorities sometime over step their boundaries. When they should intervene they don’t and when they shouldn’t get involved they do. Figure it out. A government controlled entity. Need I say more?

The Fast food joints (plump palaces) have put the USA in the forefront as the fattest, most out of shape country in the world.

One of the greatest elements that propels the people in our country to the drive up windows; everyone is in a big hurry going nowhere fast. The second thing is laziness. They don’t want to cook and don’t want to learn how.

One morning I observed a young lady driving her car, holding her cell phone with her shoulder and chin, looking in the mirror trying to put on lipstick, steering the car with her spare hand and trying to feed her kid that was strapped in the car seat in the back.  She should have been given an award for dexterity and then a ticket for dangerous driving.

We are not alone. In recent times as KFC, Mickey D, Burger King and the rest of the “fat food” establishment have migrated to other countries. The people in these countries have begun down the same downhill slide as their cousins across the pond.

Example; the Japanese people were probably the most disciplined nationality on the planet. Then slowly they become”westernized”. The respect factor and some of the other national attributes they were raised with began to diminish.  For the most part it is becoming universal.

When people all over the world are looking for a quick, easy meal to grab on the go, fast food is the common solution. With the efficient service, low prices and casual atmosphere, fast food seems like the ideal “all American” choice. In fact, over 25 percent of Americans consume fast food every day.

As a treat once or twice a week for the kids’ fast food isn’t a bad idea. When the family eats every meal out of paper plated with plastic forks and spoons that should be considered excess.

Parents; get out those pots and pans and make your kids some home cooked meals at least 4 times a week. Lots of vegetables.

Instead of the kids wasting away playing video games and sitting in front of the tube have them get outside and get a little exercise.

Do what is best for your kids not what is the easiest for you!!