Making obesity in adults a crime would be fruitless, imo. What I'd prefer to see is further examination by social services into households with clinically obese children. More often than not- childhood obesity is not caused by endocrine disorders/etc, but plain and simple neglect by the parents. Obese kids run significant health risks that will affect them throughout their lives and only get worse- not to mention the psychological pain they'll endure because..well.. kids are just little assholes, sometimes.
Social services get involved when they're notified that a child appears malnourished/dangerously underweight- because it's going to impact their overall quality of life, health, & physical/cognitive development. Dangerously overweight kids are often malnourished, surprisingly enough- their high fat/high sugar diets tend to be severely lacking in vital nutrients necessary for proper growth/stable health. And as stated above.. their overall quality of life is diminished/endangered. So, I see no difference, here.
If adults want to dig a grave with a fork & spoon, that's their prerogative (I also understand it's not always that simple, as medications & endocrine disorders can affect metabolism & result in weight gain, regardless of diet). In an ideal world, people would know how to/and CHOOSE to take better care of themselves, and address the cause for the weight gain-- but the reality is that it's more complex than some Utopian health bar of a world some people have in mind- especially for adults. Adults already have a billion bad habits/deep-seated emotional associations/thought/behavior patterns. Kids, on the other hand- are more or less a clean slate- neurologically speaking. And they aren't making these poor choices- parents provide the choices of what to eat/not eat- and whether or not to take their child to the physician if there's an issue such as weight gain. Medicaid- the poor people insurance- covers a host of specialists, free of charge, that even the poorest families can access, if they actually took the time to do so. Nutritionists are covered in many medical insurances. You can even get discounts at your local gym, ffs. Some familiy medical offices actually have bulletin boards with free yoga/cardio classes/childrens activity classes listed. There are countless ways a parent can and should be proactive about their kid's health.
I don't even like kids.. so enough about that--- I guess the solution in my mind isn't to outlaw obese adults- but prevent them- by working harder to maintain the health of younger generations, implement better nutrition awareness in schools, make healthier lunches, and limit the amount of sugary/junky things each student buys. Just like parents, I think the school system has some responsibility regarding what they are giving to kids (especially low-income kids relying on govt Free Lunch Programs). One of my elementary schools looked like an all-you-can-eat buffet, with these huge baked cookies the size of a small dinner plate. There's just no need for that. Parents are entrusting their kid's safety within that system, and it's failed at teaching such a basic thing. C'mon. Like I said, I'm not even a "kid person," and I see the roots to this growing problem.
So yeah, penalize those responsible for those in their care who do not know how to make informed decisions. If those same young people grow up to eat poorly- it was their own informed decision. If those same people choose not to see a doctor to manage unwanted weight/health risks involved- it was their own informed decision, and they can have it. I know some people may cry, 'low-income people in America can't access medical care' - but it's not the truth, by far. Medicaid is actually pretty decent, for those who are in need, with many plans based on level of income/lack thereof. Even without insurance, there are tons of free clinics with competent general physicians & specialists- you just have to look for them. Don't have internet? The library is free. No car? The walk might do you good.
Some people may claim that it's unfair to penalize parents for making their children clinically obese, because the parents don't know any better, or they have their own issues like food addiction/binge eating disorders, etc. No one's judging them for that- the fact remains that they are not providing their dependent with sufficient care. I'm a recovered anorexic- but just imagine if I relapsed & started to not only starve myself, but also my cat. ASPCA would show up and take him away, charging me with abuse- to save his life. If someone's incapable of caring for their [human] dependent- social services intervene. It's not about you or your life, but the life you're impacting.
I realize that last bit still may sound like I'm oversimplifying- I know people can't get time off work or away from certain family responsibilities/get overwhelmed/forget- but truly.. the options are there; that can't be denied. And if doctors don't help you- you keep getting new opinions, be your own advocate. If it matters enough to be healthy- there are plenty of solutions to explore, before giving in to complacency- and possibly passing it on to those around you.
*stumbles off soapbox*
I still go to playgrounds (at night, because I don't care to look like the creep fighting children for a swing)- swings are good exercise.
