Healthcare Unit

Sections : Child obesity, Obesity, United States Pediatrician

Boston pediatrician David Ludwig who is the center of media fire recently is now thinking to set the record on his idea of sate to intervene in the major cases of child obesity. Ludwig and Lindsey Murtagh at Harvard School of Public Health prompted a criticism with an opinion piece in a US medical journal on a significant topic of what should be done with youngsters who are highly obese.

There were arguments on the similar subject that when all measures fail, state should take steps of putting kids at high-risk of obesity under foster care and that this will be a fair choice over drastic measures like weight loss surgery. Since then Ludwig of Boston’s Children Hospital has been receiving emails from annoyed and frightened parents. Other medical experts have also questioned the basis of taking child away from their otherwise efficient and caring family when they are highly over-weight.

In Ludwig’s very first interview since the beginning of backlash, he said the purpose of article was basically to promote a discussion on childhood obesity which is a major issue of concern for many youngsters. He added, that no doubt the news that government would take their child away in sever obesity has terrified many parents but he wants only to emphasize that this will happen only as the last option when all other ways fail.

He replied to the parents by giving them the copy of his opinion piece published in a famous journal of American Medical association according to which state will be active in view of helping parents in their children’s obesity and this is very rarely the solution. He added that this story is exaggerated by media that it has caused a great deal of pain among the masses. He also said, there are 20 million overweight and obese children in US and 2 million of them are at highest risk of children obesity which is a serious threat.

Ludwig relived parents by saying that of 99 percent of severe cases, taking child from home is not the solution. He explained that involvement of state means giving financial support to families, access to safe recreation areas, social services and parenting courses which will help child’s overheating habits.

Ludwig said that the answer to this problem is not blaming the parents but to make a healthful society. But he made everyone speechless when he said that what could now be done with a 14 year old child weighing 400 pound who is facing life threatening complications.