“Ps an obese kid will end up as an obese adult - and a shorter lifespan as well as mental health problems”

“It's a horrible thing to be obese in the same way as being too thin is a problem. The problem is people eat more than they burn off. People don't excercise and have too much fast food because life is like that and they have so much choice

Progress isn't always good - Excercise and eating go hand in hand”

“I appreciate that in these PC times teaching your kids honesty,honour and self reliance is akin to heresy but I believe that these qualities are more important than people like you understand.
There is no difference in my view between ignorant health fascists denouncing you or your child for being unhealthy today and being labelled a heretic by the Inquisition in the 15th Century.
I too am glad that my kids dont go to a school like Paddock Wood Primary School because clearly learning has taken a back seat to state indoctrination .
I would like to point out to parents that they can withdraw their consent to have their children
measured and weighed at school if they object.”

“@MrSwing. Well, all I can say is I'm very glad that you arent headteacher at Paddock Wood primary and that we have someone like Mike Olley instead. Considering your opinions I wouldnt give you the responsibility of looking after any child. I dont know if you are a parent or not. If not, then perhaps its best you keep it that way.”

“Oh come on we know that overzealous health nazis have and will continue to label kids that
are just a bit tubby as obese.You are heading for very dangerous waters if you believe that kids that in the states eyes are obese are suffering from child abuse and supposedly warrant being taken into care.
The with "freedom comes responsibility" argument is interesting in that it implies that you have nominal freedom if you agree that you have no freedom and obey the orders and statutes of the state.That my friend is not freedom its serfdom with a spin.
True freedom is where you have total freedom to live your life how you see fit with no interaction with the powers that be.In return you agree not to cause harm or loss to other humans and be honourable in your contracts with other humans.
As long as you live a peaceful and honest life you should have no dealings with the state regardless of whether you kid is skinny or tubby.”

“@MrSwing

I do not want to live in a nanny state. But with freedom comes responsibility. Everyone should be a master of their own destiny as long as their actions & the consequences do not impact negatively on others or the country. Its a sad fact that there is a portion of society who need their bottoms wiped.

However, the crucial point here is that we are talking about children, especially young children. They cannot make an informed judgement like an adult. They need guidance from their parents. If their parents fail to provide this then someone must step in.

Regardless of how inaccurate or exaggerated this article was relating to Paddock Wood, child obesity IS a growing problem, and I stand by my original comments, that parents who allow their children to become obese (I'm not talking overweight, I'm talking obese, there is a difference) are guilty of a form of child abuse.”

“Thats where we will never agree.You seem to accept that our lives are owned by the powers that be whereas I believe we are the masters of our destiny.
Living in a free society means that individuals have to make decisions for themselves and face the consequences if they get it wrong.The other path of an overbearing state leads to total state control of all aspects of our lives and the lives of our children.
Remember

First they came for the smokers
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a smoker
Then they came for the drinkers
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a drinker
Then they came for the overweight
And I did not speak out
Because I was not overweight
Then they came for the inactive
And I did not speak out
Because I was not inactive
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me”

“@Mr Swing. What complete & utter rubbish. If parents were more responsible with the upringing and welfare of their children then the primary care trust would not have to monitor them so closely. In fact on a wider scale, if people took more responsibility in general we wouldnt be living in such a nanny state.

You may be comfortable allowing obesity amongst children, but as a parent myself I think it is unforgiveable. There is nothing more upsetting than seeing an obese familiy wobble past with their obese kids. Or perhaps you think it is an infringement on their human rights that someone should actually try and tackle the problem to prevent health issues in their future.

Are health warnings on alcohol and cigarettes just put there by nazis ? No, they are there for a reason, and like fags & booze obesity can cause all manner of serious healthcare problems. To accuse authorities of being nazi's for trying to keep tabs on the problem is completely ludicrous.

So you think tackling this issue will lead to eating disorders ? Well what causes obesity ? An eating disorder. Too many calories going in, usually with high fat unhealthy foods.

I am astounded at peoples lax attitude to this serious problem with our population, one which is on the increase, that think it is wrong not to tackle this issue before it becomes a serious strain on our NHS and before our kids start getting diagnosed with diabetes and heart problems.”

“The most worrying aspect of this story is the implication that the primary care trust nazis have been monitoring,measuring and weighing children whilst at school.Children go to school to learn not to be monitored and labelled like a herd of prize cattle.
Because of all this rubbish put about by people who frankly dont know what they are talking about we will be facing a plague of eating disorders in years to come among the children who have been told they are fat by people like Jock07.”

“What a sloppy, biased and over-dramatic piece of 'journalism' (5 hyperbole in the first two sentences.) The reporter has used 2 year old data to work up a 'story', which the Editor, in his wisdom, has seen fit to plaster over the front page of the Paddock Wood edition. Well done Andy Saunders - obviously you don't care about the offence you have caused within your OWN community. And please don't pretend to be 'concerned'; your library picture (unattributed,) sensational headline and melodramatic discourse smack of the kind of paltry tabloidism we have exposed to for too long. Obesity is a serious issue that deserves to be treated with care in your columns, not as a vehicle for self-promotion or increased newspaper sales. Shame on you.”