Experts Debate Labeling Children Obese

CHICAGO -- Is it OK for doctors and parents to tell children and teens they're fat? That seems to be at the heart of a debate over whether to replace the fuzzy language favored by the U.S. government with the painful truth -- telling kids if they're obese or overweight. Read the Full Article Here

This is getting out of control... I am very particular about the words we use and the ways in which they effect our quality of life. But, the use of more "politically correct" words to soften a serious situation or spare the feelings of someone that has put himself in that bad situation, is not solving anything.

Obesity is a problem. It's not too many years ago that activists fought to classify obesity as a disease. The good news about this disease is that it has a number of very effective treatments and cures.

Have you ever heard arguments over weather to tell kids they have cancer? "Maybe we shouldn't call it cancer, because cancer sounds like a mean word" It's ridiculous!

If someone is diagnosed with cancer, they are told honestly, given treatment options and then, in most cases, fight like hell to beat the disease.

Obesity should be dealt with in exactly the same way. If it's a disease, it should be diagnosed honestly, treatment options clearly explained and then fight like hell to get better.

Here's the big difference: If you're diagnosed with cancer and sit around feeling sorry for yourself, you usually get painfully sick and die fairly quickly.

If you're diagnosed with obesity and sit around feeling sorry for yourself, you can continue to live a relatively normal life until you develop other problems as a result of the obesity, which may be years down the road.

In terms of diseases, obesity is a pretty good deal. If it were approached like any other disease and fought with real commitment, it can be cured and many of it's adverse affects can actually be reversed.

We really need to stop tip toeing around this obesity epidemic and start treating it like the problem that it is. Let's be honest about it and fight like hell to make ourselves and our kids better.