Experts Debate Labeling Children Obese

There are times when schooling interferes with one's education, but I'm finding that there are plenty of examples where it interferes with one's common sense. Take this bunch of non sense over the issue of obesity in children.

The diplomatic approach adopted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and used by many doctors avoids the word "obese" because of the stigma. The CDC also calls overweight kids "at risk of overweight."

The existing categories are convoluted and "rather ironic, since the U.S. leads the world in terms of obesity," Cole said. "There must be an element of political correctness."

The debate illustrates just how touchy the nation is about its weight problem.

Obese "sounds mean. It doesn't sound good," said Trisha Leu, 17, who thinks the proposed change is a bad idea.

Don't hurt their feelings even though their health is in danger. "At Risk" is such a PC term, but "at risk of overweight." is Orwellian to the point of deceiving people into thinking they are not so bad off.. I just can't understand the kid glove treatment that is used on children. The adults act as if they are the children's dependents rather than their guardians. The government agency in charge of disseminating information on important matters of health is itself ate up with Politically correct non sense, but that is no excuse for parents and doctors coddling children to the point of endangering their health.

Dr. Michael Wasserman, a pediatrician with the Ochsner Clinic in Metairie, La., agreed. Using the term "at risk for overweight" is misleading, creating the perception "that I'm only at risk for it now, so I don't have to deal with it now," said Wasserman, who is not on the committee.

"There's a tremendous amount of denial by parents and children," he said.

Chicago pediatrician Rebecca Unger, also not a committee member, said she likes using the term "at risk for overweight" because it gives patients hope that "we can do something about it."

Hope is not what lying to patients provides. It lets them continue to fool themselves that they are actually not "at risk." Hope comes from first recognizing the problem and assessing the options for dealing with it while understanding the results of not doing so. When my doctor told me I was obese I was not pleased, nor did I think he was accurate in his description, but after my temper tantrum I took the advise to do something and do it now. I'm thankful that he did not pat me on the head and say I was at risk, but told me straight up that I needed to lose a lot of weight. Dancing around the obvious on matters of health will not serve those who need help. Having the government as enabler makes it even more difficult to do the necessary.

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