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Obese Kids Say No To Gastric Surgery
In a recent study in the UK, over 50% of obese children that were offered gastric bypass surgery refused it. The general reason for refusal was that it is cheating to lose weight with surgery. Children often know that it is wrong to be so overweight, and they really want to do something about it, but not to cheat their way to being slim.
Most children would prefer to get their lives back on track to being healthier and more active, and to lose weight by eating a calorie controlled diet and exercising on a regular basis.
The best solution would be for more services to help children to lose weight. Adults have many programs that they can join, albeit all commercial, and also a wide range of sports clubs and gyms. Children to a large extent are expected to rely on school fitness programs or to take themselves out of play in the park. If the schools are failing children, then there needs to be more commercial fitness clubs that receive government subsidies to take children in.
In Australia where the obesity crisis is less severe, it is common to see school children using private facilities during the week, such as golf courses, or to see them on public land, such as the beach. In many schools in the UK and USA this does not happen, as the local councils do not have the partnerships with local businesses, and health and safety rules keep children within school grounds.
It seems that games consoles and cable television really are only part of the obesity problem. Children are aware of how their bodies are changing, and are refusing to have operations to “put it right”. Many of the children questioned in the recent study gave large portion size and junk food as being the main reason for being overweight. What our children need are more ways for them to participate in healthy activities both while in and out of school, and more resources to healthy eating. But above all, adults need to take more care in controlling what children eat. Large portions of food is not a sign of wealth and success, it is a sign of ignorance and leads to serious illness.
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