Fat kids

My blood is still boiling right now as I type. I just talked to the mother of a patient who is morbidly obese. He's only twelve but he's over 240 lb (110 kg for non-Americans).

As I talked to the mother about having him lose weight and the danger of diabetes, she walked out on me before I finished, saying that I am rude. I am so upset that people rather turn a blind eye on their kids' problem instead of facing the issue. They want to deny that their kids are fat and instead just calling them "big boned".

I really want to make a difference, but I feel like I am on a one-man crusade against a tidal wave of junk food and bad sedantary habits. I guess I lost one today, and in the very near future, he's going to be diagnosed with diabetes. Decades down the line, he's going to have his feet amputated and his name put on a kidney transplant list because of renal failure.

Please, if you're overweight, do something about it now before it's too late. I'll try to save one life at a time, but it's a tough uphill battle against people's ignorance.

It's sad really, people dont listen to those that try to help until it's too late for them :sad:

:Tear:

So touching, so touching.

Good message, in short, fat people get off your ass and excersice.

Try not to go overboard on the metaphores though, it freaks me out when people do that.

Sounds like a case of lazy parenting to me. Perhaps you should drop a note to Child Protective Services saying this woman is abusing her child. How tall was this kid anyway?

Also, this is just another example of why making fun of other kids should be encouraged in grade school. It's a sad day when parents and school officials rail against kids being mean when it serves a useful purpose in certain situations. Take this fat kid for example. I'm certain his mother has been conditioned to 'love him just the way he is' and refuses to allow people to make fun of him, but on the playground the other kids can ridicule him mercilessly until he decides for himself to get off his fat ass and do something about it.

I have no sympathy for the morbidly obese. I'm a heavy smoker and I
expect no sympathy from anyone. I don't know if I'll bother giving them
up because I'm lazy in that respect. People too lazy to look after
themselves will die. Productive normal people will live on. Its natural
selection. Let her feed her fat kid till he dies, people like that
never slim to normal (non life threatening) levels of wieght anyways.
They're terminally fat.

I dont seem to have any trouble when it comes to weight. seem to be able to eat and eat and never realy gain anything.

I take it you are a doctor of some-sort? Well you have every right to be pissed, Parents like that dont want to hear that it was their poor parenting skills that got them to where they are today. I have some simpathy for those children, mainly in the way that it is a medical condition that they can't help (I mean food is their happy "drug"), but much like any addiction, the only one that can help them is themselves, they need to stop the poor eating habbits and start a healthier life style.

But I dont necicerily agree with "making fun of other kids should be encouraged in grade school", because I believe that this will lead to more problems later on, sure their may be the "john bestow" in the 4th grade that will take the ridicule as a sighn to change, but I believe that a majority of children will be over sensitive, and look to food even more as a happy "drug".

:rolleyes:

It was a joke and not a serious suggestion. I thought it was funny 12 days ago...

Blame MacDonald's - the world's most evil company.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Foxpup</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Blame MacDonald's - the world's most evil company. </DIV></DIV>

Yes. They put a gun to my head and made me get fat. /me laughes at that case
Seriously though. Between fifth and sixth grade, I was a little on the heavey side -- I made a sole effort to lay off McDonald's, and by the time I hit sventh grade, my school uniform pants almost fell off me

It was the same way with smoking, years ago you wouldn't tell a smoker
that it was unhealty. To day though smokers get railed.

If being overwieght was an obivious choice like smokeing then it wound't be so tabu to attack some one who is over weight.

It is sad that some parents let thier kids get fat out of thier own lazyness... I'd never let my kids get fat, and I'd teach them respect- kids nowadays are so cocky, mainly cus they know we can't do much without being sued or taken to court or something.

As for me- my addiction is double pedal drumming. In lectures at school my feet are constantly going up and down like I need a pee or something, but I can't help it.

Did you know scientists have proven that people who fidget frequently
tend to be slimmer? Even if the fidgeters remain largely
sedentary throughout the day, they end up gaining a lot less weight
than those who stay still.

Apparently, we spend a lot of energy fidgeting. I tend to be the fidgety type, and that might explain my thinness.

People who walk several miles each day carrying half a cinderbrick also tend to be slimmer, but it's not proven. Just thought I'd bring that up.

I know what you mean, there was a thread on a different forum about a week ago and this is what I put:

LOL. I'm sorry but I must throw in my 2 cents worth, you see if I do the usuall ewww type impression when I see a fat person [and i'm not going to call them anything else, they are fat!]
why is it that people immediatly assume I am talking wholey about their
image, my brother use to be overweight and I cetainly didn't do that
when I saw him. No the reason I do it is that it is so in their face...
it covers up their eyes, don't they realise that every time they eat
that extra topping or second serving they are pulling them selves
nearer and nearer to a heart attack or some kind of heart disease,
can't they realise that when they can't even run the 100m without
stopping? The reason I do is it that it is so blatently obvious that
what they are doing to their bodys is so...Wrong! that they don't even
think anything about it, and yet why is it so socially wrong to be so
shocked and appauled about fat people when you are allowed to be upfront and say to a smoker that it is bad for you, but it's socially wrong to go up to a fat person and tell them that being overweight is bad for you.

/2cents

/rant.

110kg's? Thats almost twice what I weigh! (I'm 65).

\o/ - I'm a tad underweight I think. I don't know of any fat mappers. We tend to be the skinny, nerdy runts.

Parents who can't stand to listen to a doctor about a real problem with their kid should really start to think about what is important to them - The way the kid is going, he'll probably die before his parents themselves.

The truth is, people who are obese can't really blame anyone but themselves. They aren't FORCED to eat. They choose to.

Anywho - Try talking to the kid. If the parents are too obnoxious to do anything, it's probably your best option.

I'm 14 years old and 60 kg. :O

My own response to this is, I'm about 101lbs (45kg), 5ft 6.. I'm 16
almost 17 and I have problem putting on weight. Although according to
my doctor I'm underweight but healthy. I haven't gained or lost any
weight in 2 years, and I eat like a horse. Healthy diet etc.

I just don't know how people can get so fat, even worse so is ignoring
help. I disagree with the fidgety thing though, I tend to be idle and
just sit.

Metabolism my boy. Also other things that effect the problems are aspects such as the upbringing, and thyroid I believe. With an overactive thyroid gland you'll generally be more active and sleep less, which seems to be a trend with mappers...

I am in a computer lab at college right now, and 4 out of the 7 people i see in here are moderately fat to morbidly obese. It makes me absolutely sick that people let themselves get to this point. I vomit thinking of the fact that there are 10-year-olds who weigh twice what i wiegh at age 19. Even more so at the fact that no one seems to think its bad in any way. I will be writing a thesis soon on how technology and society are reversing evolution. Here's a preview:

"With the advent of 'political correctness,' we have seen many things previously thought unacceptable become a social norm. In days past humans as a species shunned inferior members of thier species such as people who are fat, old, sick, mentally ill, and crippled. This is how natural selection works. In theory, if a certain family line was genetically predisposed to a terminal illness, they would die out and eventually there would be no more of this genetic fault left to propagate. Take my own poor eyesight as an example. In earlier eras, someone with poor eyesight would be much more likely to die because of decreased awareness of suroundings and even a lesser likelyhood of hunting successfully for food. With the invention of glasses I can perhaps live much longer and appear much less sickly, thereby giving me more of a chance to find a mate. This only worsens the human species by letting me propagate my poor eyesight genes......"

Same goes for fatness, as soon as we embrace it, we degrade our species by predisposing future generations to this horrible thing.

In days past humans as a species shunned inferior members of thier
species such as people who are fat, old, sick, mentally ill, and
crippled.

I cannot understand how anyone can honestly believe that this is "right" or "good" in some nature-is-always-right powertrip.

These crazy man-as-a-hunter/gatherer arguments have gone on for a
little too long. Hint: man is not a hunter/gatherer anymore. What we
are now is a product of evolution, and not something unnatural.
The very facets of society you choose to debunk (political correctness)
are facets that have appeared through evolution, albeit in evolution a different
form and fashion. There is a reason they exist.

I believe a society can easily be judged by how well it takes care of
it's members that are less fortunate. "Shunning" fat, old, sick,
mentally ill, or crippled people does not take you anywhere, it just
puts you on the same IQ bracket as the chimpanzee.

BTW: I'm not picking on NickelPlate here. Just ranting about half-baked ideas that people don't have the sense to think through.

Nickelplate, I agree with you, but apparently it's a very touchy
subject. I've already gotten into trouble saying things like this.

Here's an entry of my blog that has touched a nerve for some readers:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/youngmd/4922.html

I learned my lesson that I have to approach the topic very carefully as
a physician working in an urgent care setting. Most of the times,
I have never met these patients and parents, so I don't have the
benefit of an established doctor-patient relationship with them.
So what I say may be easily misconstrued, despite my good intentions.

I discussed the matter with the department chairman after that
incident, and he agrees with what I did. But he cautioned me
about addressing such sensitive topic with my patient population, and
he told me not to be too persistent on the issue. Otherwise, I'll risk turning them off and offending people.

I also learned to use the word "too heavy for your height" instead of
"overweight" when discussing the topic with patients. I thought
not using "obese" or "fat" was sufficient.

Everyday, I strive to do the best I can as a doctor, but my passion and
diligence are not always appreciated. The relentless manner I
discuss obesity with my patients is driven by nothing but my passion to
turn their lives around. I want to make a difference, and I still
would like to think that I can.

The very facets of society you choose to debunk (political correctness)
are facets that have appeared through evolution, albeit in evolution a different
form and fashion.

I am in complete agreement with you, fraggard. Obviously, you are
an intelligent person who is not only considerate, but also wise.

However, I would like to invite you to consider the list you provided:

"Shunning" fat, old, sick,
mentally ill, or crippled people. . .

Among all these unfortunate ailments, the only one that is the product
of one's behavior and is within one's control is being "fat". One
cannot help to get old or sick. Mental illness can befall on
anyone, and is frequently caused by a genetic predisposition.
Being crippled is almost never caused by one's own wrongdoing, unless
it's the result of drunk driving or other careless misdeeds.

Anyone can do something about being overweight. It's never too
late unless one has given up all hope of losing weight. True, we
should not disparage those who are overweight. In fact, we should
do everything supportive to help them overcome their eating habbit.

But when they don't accept kind advice aimed to help them, they are
left to their own devices. We can only save the ones that allow
themselves to be saved.

But when they don't accept kind advice aimed to help them, they are
left to their own devices. We can only save the ones that allow
themselves to be saved.

I agree. I was responding to the general tone of Nickelplate-style
arguments actually. Since you're a physician I would place more value
on your advice, and it was pretty foolish of the parent to ignore you,
I agree to that. But wrongly extending this special case argument to
all cases of "disability" (word used in it's loosest sense) is just
madness.

absolutely no offense taken Fraggard. :biggrin: Everyone ha the right to thier own opinion, no matter how intolerant or bleeding-heart it may seem.

Satchmo, have you tried telling them "Your BMI is too high?" it seems that by using some sort of medical-sounding jargon you can intrique them with what you are going to say next. that way they see it as a medical problem not a social one that they will think in none of your business. BMI vs. Heavyness

BTW. I'm a psych major, so anything i have to say on psych stuff is the law okay? lol

In general, I try to avoid using medical jargon because most patients
and parents would not understand what I am trying to convey. In
most instances, the technical terms would make people tune off from the
conversation and start staring back at you blankly.

In fact, we are required to use languages that everyone can
understand. I am pretty sure that when I pointed out the Gatorade
the kid was drinking, the mother had already set her opinion of
me. She felt accused of being a bad parent (and in a way, she's
right. I was mildly accusing her of bad parenting).

Frequently, I ask the parents whether they buy junk foods in the first
place. If they do, then they can't blame the kids for eating
them. I recommend everyone to keep a plate of fresh fruits on the
dining table. So whenever anyone is hungry for a snack at home,
they can munch on the good healthy alternatives.

. . .and drink plenty of water and milk. Everything else
(including 100% pure fruit juices) is too sugary and contains too much
empty calories. Sport drinks have done extremely smart marketing
in the past decades, convincing the general public that drinks like
Gatorade or Powerade are healthy. All the superstar atheletes
they hired in their commercials have muscular and amazing bodies, and
that gives the false impression that anyone who drinks their product
will get a body like that.

dang, I like gatorade... I always got it instead of soda, cause i thought it was better for me. I knew it was really sugary though.

anyway, i completely agree with you about the need to be healthy and not fat. my parents are pretty fat, I helped them with thier BMI's they're pretty kinda close to being "obese." it's sad, but we're trying to get them healthy again.

There is actually a psychological where people are constantly hungry
and eat loads without stopping it. People afflicted with this disorder
generally end up extremely, morbidly, grossly obese. Can't remember the
name of it though.

thyroid disorders also cause tremendous obesity, again not thier fault.

That's great for doing your part to help your parents. It's the
best way to repay them for raising you. But it could be difficult
for parents to take advice from their kids though.

My sister-in-law has been trying forever to get her dad eating healthy
(he already has diabetes and recently has gone into renal failure due
to his diabetes). But despite having to go to dialysis three
times a week, he still refuses to listen to his doctors and eats
whatever he wants.

If there is anyone at the SnarkPit who could improve their health by
changing their eating habit, I hope this thread would provide the
impetus to get you on the right path.

Well, if you're fat (as most are in the us) then it's probably becouse you eat to much fastfood.

Read "Fastfood Nation" by Eric Schlosser, McDonalds is banned for me ever since. ;D

Obese people are quick to complain about being discriminated against. Sometimes I think they are trying to gain sympathy to hide their lust for food.

If obesity is such a disability, I'd hate to see the look on the poor folks faces in places such as Africa.

Overweight people: Just don't eat to much, it's that simple...

There is actually a psychological where people are constantly hungry
and eat loads without stopping it.

I believe you're referring to some patients with pituitary gland
tumors. When the hunger center of the hypothalamus is compressed
by the tumor, these patients will have insatiable appetite and would
never feel satisfied.

In addition, patients with adrenal gland tumors have excess
corticosteroid in their body. This will trigger an unnatural
feeding response and cause them to become overweight. The medical
term for this condition is Cushion's Syndrome.

Yes, there are some medical conditions that predispose people to become
obese. But this group of patients constitute an extremely small
percentage of people who are overweight.

More than half of children in the United States are overweight, and
more than a third are obese. The vast majority of them become
that way from unhealthy diet, not from some rare disease.

Read "Fastfood Nation" by Eric Schlosser

. . . or watch "Supersize Me" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390521/) by
Morgan Spurlock. It'll make you sick the next time you walk into
McDonald's, or at least make you think twice before ordering that fries.

? quote:. . . or watch "Supersize Me" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390521/) by Morgan Spurlock. It'll make you sick the next time you walk into McDonald's, or at least make you think twice before ordering that fries.

My girlfriend (former Psych major) has me pretty firmly convinced that the guy in that movie was already suffering from some real psychological issues, and that the stuff that happened to him (panic attack, depression when not eating, heart palpitations, etc) was caused by pre-existing anxiety conditions and not just "eating McDonald's food". She says the combination of him being on camera, trying to achieve this crazy goal and do something really extravagant, while at the same time his body undergoes such radical changes from eating vegan cooking to eating this fatty salty stuff... well, that stress is certain to bring out mental problems you wouldn't normally expect.

She compared his mindset to that of an Everquest addict, and the rush that people like that would get from gaining a level in EQ is similar to the rush he gets from eating another meal. Thus, he'd feel malaise, depression and boredom the rest of the time between eating.

I think that's a pretty intelligent analysis.

Not that this condones McDonald's in any way, just keep in mind that the hard physiological stuff is probably all I can really believe in that movie.

McDonalds must pump tons of chemicals into their food. My mate bought
some McDonalds fries and left em under his bed and forgot about them
for about a year. When we found them, there was NO MOULD WHATSOEVER!
They were still in original condition.

I heard CocaCola is so caustic that people use it to wash-off calcar from drainpipes.

Yeah, you can do this experiment if you have a loose tooth somewhere.

If you place this tooth in a cup of soda, it'll be completely dissolved
with no trace of it whatsoever after a period of few weeks.
That's how bad it is.

It's almost like drinking those radioactive slime in Half-Life 2.
You know, the ones that you can't even step on without losing health.

Worth a try . However, i'll be using a piece of meat for the experiment. After all, the stomach isn't made out of bone.

i seen a story on the news this week about the introduction of recording a pupils BMI on their school report card, along with relevent comments/advice. it's in an attempt to shock parents into taking responsibility for their kids weight.

the report claimed that a quarter of american children are obese, and showed some playground footage. pretty sad considering that none of the really fat kids that it showed will ever have a 'normal' life, as it were. that's not to say they can't be happy, as the budah can live just as happily in a motorbike engine as he can in the leaves of a lotus blossom, but they just wont be happy for as long.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting satchmo</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>That's great for doing your part to help your parents. It's the best way to repay them for raising you. But it could be difficult for parents to take advice from their kids though.
</DIV></DIV>

My parents and i operate largely on logic. Except my mom she does it lots less. But if there is merit to something i have to say, they will normally listen unless they are going to pull the "because i am your parent and I say so." thing... But they have listened to my concerns and they are trying.
to another post: if you want to instantly be recognised as an oppressed minority (even though more are fat thatn not) Just get HUGE and see if they give you two airplane seats for the price of one, just because you're fat!! YAY!

Yes, coca-cola is VERY caustic, We use it to eat rust off of engine blocks in the shop. AND my brother left one of his baby teeth in coke overnight and by morning it was pretty well dissolved.

Too many people these days blame anyone and anything for their problems
these days. The solution is to realize/admit that it's your own choices
and your own habits that made you f**ked up or had those effects. You
chose to do it, blame yourself.

The tooth thing with coke is BS. Watch myth-busters, they compared it
for and against all types of cleaners, de-rusters, solvents and also
did stuff on what it can dissolve. None of it is actually true no
matter how many other people said it was because they "heard" it. The
only time I could see the tooth thing being true is if you're only
taking the enamel into consideration as that's the only part I could
see really being dissolved. I've tried a few of the methods before with coke, but really a little CLR would always do better.

Lol, and my BMI is 15.5! That makes me fit for a job as a wind-direction/speed estimator at the airport. :smile:

Watch myth-busters, they compared it
for and against all types of cleaners, de-rusters, solvents and also
did stuff on what it can dissolve.

It was scary what happened to the piece of meat they left in the coke
D: it looked fine until they tried to pick it up, and then it fell
apart!

Love that show :biggrin: .

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Myrk-</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Metabolism my boy. Also other things that effect the problems are aspects such as the upbringing, and thyroid I believe. With an overactive thyroid gland you'll generally be more active and sleep less, which seems to be a trend with mappers... </DIV></DIV>
My dad had that really bad, he ended up having a fit of some sort when I was a baby and fell down some stairs whilst holding me, ended up having half of the gland removed.

When we found them, there was NO MOULD WHATSOEVER!

Y'see, even mould doesn't eat that sh*t.

I heard CocaCola is so caustic that people use it to wash-off calcar from drainpipes.

My brother used to work in macdonalds, they use sprite to wipe the grills ewwwww.

never touches a product from coca cola again

Actually, we REALLY DO use Coke to eat rust off of engine blocks. and my brother's tooth REALLY WAS dissolving, mum said it was gross, so we've no idea how far it would've went, she made us dump it. but truly coke is as caustic as Vash on a bad day...

Whats BMI?

Body mass index.