(Image Source: Salootay)

BY WILLIAM MCKEAGUE

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

Is child obesity - child abuse? And is it enough to place a child into foster care? Some researchers believe removing severely obese children from their parents would be beneficial in the long run.

One such researcher, Harvard pediatric professor and obesity expert David Ludwig, believes the recommendation might help some of the two million children suffering from Type 2 diabetes and related liver problems. The research published in JAMA -- the Journal of the American Medical Association -- gives this recommendation.

“Inadequate or unskilled parental supervision can leave children vulnerable to these obesigenic environmental influences. Emotional distress and depression, or other psychological problems arising from abuse and neglect, may exacerbate this situation by leading to disordered eating and withdrawal from sports and other social activities.”

It’s not the first time the medical community has made this kind of recommendation.  In 2009, researchers in the journal Pediatrics drew a similar conclusion.

“In general, removal of a child from the home is justified when all 3 of the following conditions are present: (1) a high likelihood that serious imminent harm will occur; (2) a reasonable likelihood that coercive state intervention will result in effective treatment; and (3) the absence of alternative options for addressing the problem.”

On Good Morning America - a medical expert disagrees with the recommendation - saying it comes down to more than just the parents.  He says there are other - more dangerous - risk factors that should be considered as well.

Robin Roberts:“That if you have a child that is really obese that, that child should be taken from their parents, and put into foster care. What do you think of that?”
Medical Expert: “Absolutely not, you know demonizing parents is not the way to go. Lets go after the companies that are marketing to children all this junk food. Lets go after the schools that are getting rid of gym classes. Lets go looking at neighborhoods, where your only choice for food, is fast food.” (ABC)

The debate made it to HLN as well, where Robin Meade read reaction from viewers. The response was - well - genuine.

“Tiffany tweeted me, If the morbidly obese children are taken away, what’s that going to do? They still aren’t going to be active! Jamie on Facebook writes, put away the video games and play with the kids outside. There, overweight issues solved. And Robin says, with the obesity rate as high as it is in this nation, you'd need a whole country of foster parents for all of these children.”

According to an article in TIME - there are alternative options to be considered before taking a child away from his or her parents.

"Child protective services typically provide intermediate options such as in-home social supports, parenting training, counseling, and financial assistance, that may address underlying problems without resorting to removal."