ABC News Reports On The Claim That Morbidly Obese Children Should Be Taken Away From Their Parents

And you all thought Michelle Obama’s attempt to make us eat vegetables was tantamount to a police state. Here’s something to really get Americans’ stretch pants in a bunch. Dr. David Ludwig, a Harvard child obesity expert, and Lindsey Murtagh, a Harvard lawyer and researcher, have written a column in the Journal of the American Medical Association in which they make a bit of a provocative claim: there may be legal cause to remove morbidly obese children from their parents. Today, ABC News tackled the story.

In the story, ABC News contacted a number of child health experts, most of whom disagreed with the theory. One pointed out the very likely explanation that the column was merely written to inspire discussion. It should also be pointed out that the writers of the piece view it as a last resort. Most interestingly, however, ABC also interviewed a mother whose daughter was taken away for that very reason. However, two months later, the daughter was returned after it was discovered she had a genetic predisposition.

Still, it’s something to think about. With childhood obesity a massive problem in the country and there already being plenty of precedent to remove parental custody due to other life-threatening behavior, is this really such a far out idea? What does everyone here think?

Watch the clip from ABC News below:

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!