by Jeffrey Wright

Created on: October 13, 2010   Last Updated: October 16, 2010

Obesity has been a growing problem in America for quite sometime now.  Some would even go so far as to say it's one of the nations top health problems.  But can such a thing as obesity be defined as abuse?  Not really.

Consider that the definition of the word “abuse” indicates causing harm by taking neglectful or harmful actions toward others.  In fact, looking at the direct definitions, they are often defined with violent words such as abuse, assault and so forth.  Looking at these definitions also bring to mind the word “neglect”.  In many ways, neglect doesn’t even factor.

By feeding a child food, which he needs to live, one is not showing neglect, just the opposite.  True, too much of a good thing can be harmful, but with the things that are put in many of the foods we eat (processed sugar, chemicals, hormones and other such harmful substances)  Its very hard to draw the line between what your body needs and too much.  Often these types of foods leave you as hungry as they did before you ate them!  But they are the most prevalent types of foods available at your local grocery store. And lets not forget the guilty junk food pleasures that many companies are oh so willing to cram down our throat as being healthy, when they’re really not!

Years ago, the mammoth fast food corporation McDonalds was sued for selling products in such large quantities and made the way they were that people were growing fat because of it.  In fact if you look at the nutrition information on McDonalds website, as well as Burger King, Wendy’s or any other mentionable fast food chain,  you would be shocked at how many calories, fat and cholesterol your taking in any one sitting. 

Burger Kings Triple Whopper meal with an apple pie (added for dessert and a big suggestive sell for most fast food chains) for instance has a calorie tag of 2490 calories…one meal…that’s well over a days worth of calories!  Plus your going to eat lunch and breakfast besides?   The kids meals alone have have about 1800 calories when accounting for fries, drink a double cheeseburger and the inevitable dessert, which usually translates into a 440 calorie medium milkshake.  This nutritional information can be found on Burger Kings website if you would like to check what the nutritional info is on your favorate meals are.

Couple that with the dishonesty of pharmaceuticals where vitamins are concerned, selling vitamins that may not actually work to begin with because of how they manufacture them to be cheap for the end user.  Cheap in more ways then one.   Is it no wonder that our nation has become the fattest nation in the world?  No, childhood obesity is not abuse, it is a choice made by people to eat unhealthy and let their children follow suit.

Now it should be mentioned that not all obesity is due to bad eating habits.  There are some medical conditions and hereditary situations that make it near impossible to bring someone into what is considered healthy.  Certainly we’re not talking about that.  But where just eating and being obese where no other medical maladies are present, that is not abuse.  Nor should it be considered to be so.

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