Nicola McKeown, age 35, a resident of Wallsend, in northeastern England, was permitted to keep her son after a child protection meeting with officials of North Tyneside Council. As part of the agreement, McKeown had to agree to place her son on a stringent diet and exercise regime.
How did it come to this? Under the Children Act, local law officials must investigate if there is reason to believe that a child in their jurisdiction is being harmed or suffering. Connor McCreaddie, age 8, would have been placed on a child protection register and taken from his family because he weighs 196 pounds. Unlike other children his age, he wears adult clothes. He can’t wear his school uniform. His weight makes him a target for bullies and walking short distances leaves him breathless or makes him vomit. Connor’s weight has caused him to break several beds, bicycles, and toilet seats.
According to his mother, he has chips with everything and snacks on junk food throughout the day while using the computer. She also commented that she gives him food whenever he asks. She said that “he was born hungry.”
A report published by the Journal of Pediatric Obesity states that almost half of the children in North and South America will be overweight by the year 2010. Based on information gathered from medical reports on obesity and from the World Health Organization, researchers found that childhood obesity is rising. This is due, in part, to more sedentary lifestyles and availability of junk foods. The information gathered spanned the years 1980 to 2005.
Before computers, children used to play outside. I remember playing endless games of tag, dodge ball, and leapfrog. My friends and I had relay races, rode bikes, and jumped rope. When I was Connor’s age, I ran more than I walked. I fell a lot, too. I have the scraped knees to prove it. Who cared about television? Television was good for Saturday morning cartoons. Who wanted to be indoors when all of the fun was outside?
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