Is feeding your child junk food, child abuse?

Question

Jamie Oliver, the world famous TV chef/author etc believes it is. I believe it is.

What do you think?

Answer 1

If you feed them nothing but, yes. If you feed it to them regularly, yes. If they won't touch a carrot unless it's slathered in butter and sugar - yes. If you feed them sugar cereal and twinkies for breakfast and snack, pizza for lunch, and KFC for dinner - YES!!

It's at least as dangerous as constant consumption of cigarettes and alcohol. Little bodies need nutrients.

Some people may not be abusing their kids in the traditional 'beat you with a rod' sense, but it's not taking care of them either.

I'd call it neglect. Like sending them out in a blizzard without a coat.

Answer 2

If the parent makes no effort or very little for a nutrition in that child's life from infancy to teen, then yes it is child abuse to me.

What really pi.ss.ed me off the other day was these two teen girls at Wendy's giving their 2 and 3 month old Hamburger parts and ice cream. How I knew they were teens: one was applying and the other was like "in 2 more months, I could work here!" due to work permit at 16. How I knew the babies where 2 and 3 months, because other people ask and I ease drop.

I see a lot of adults doing it and then they wonder why their kids are having problems.

What looks like "cute" isn't at all when feeding foods to infant's body that can't properly digest the product.

Answer 3

So your child only eats healthy food, all the time? No cookies, cakes, pies anything. Wow that must really suck! Oh and they don't go trick or treating, now that should be child abuse. As long as a child gets the proper nutrients they need hell no. If all they eat for supper is a bag of potato chips and some ho hos I'll call it neglect. Eating healthy is important, but it is okay to eat some junk food every once in a while. Eating KFC is alright, as long as you don't do it everyday. Pizza isn't really all that bad for you, veggies, bread, meat, cheese. Everything in moderation, junk food included. I also believe children should exercise, weather it is playing outside or riding a bike.

Answer 4

I have raised 3 boys who are just heading into their twenties and they are all just fine even though I allowed them to eat junk food. But they also were feed well balanced meals three times aday and allowing a child to have a cupcake or cookie during the day does not constitute child abuse. Some of these health fanatics take things way too far just as soon as they tell you "no red meat" then awhile later they decide you do need to eat red meat. Trust your instincts about your child and let them be kids, one or two Twinkies aday is not going to harm a child, just watch the intake.

Answer 5

I asked a similar question a few months back. I think it's more child neglect esp. if the child is overweight.

I have a friend who is divorced. His son lives with his mother and visits my friend every other weekend. The child recently went to the doctor and the Dr. told the boy and his mom that he wants the child to gain only one more pound in the next year on account the child is 20 lbs overweight. The said child is 9 years old and wears a size 14/16. Sad huh?

Answer 6

I have to agree with Jamie Oliver on this subject,previously mankind had no "Fast Food" and obesity was not a major problem in society.Presently we lead such a time-precious lifestyle,we ignore the well-bieng of our children by going via the "ëasy" option of take away foods.Thus we in-advertantly perform a version of child abuse.

Answer 7

its all a question of how much and how often surely.
besides have you ever considered the economic reality for low income families. affordable food often contains the highest levels of added salt and sugar etc.
"Whilst Michael Winner is an odious mysoginist he was quite right to link modern obesiety levels to women getting out of the kitchen and families relying on convenience food" - Germain Greer.
I think Jamie Oliver has a positive point to make but the whole child abuse thing is very judgemental i think.
perhaps you should consider what 'child abuse' really means?

Answer 8

Not child abuse maybe, but very irresponsible parenting. No worries with the occasional treat, but I wish parents would encourage their kids to get off their backsides and tear their eyes away from the TV or Computer screen and get some fresh air and exercise.

The helath complications and weight issues of young kids these days is shocking, yet totally unecessary.

Good question, btw.

Answer 9

I don't think feeding your child junk food once in a while is abuse, it's a treat. My 4 year old gets a treat once a week because she deserves it. I can not keep fruit and yogurt in my house she eats it all. She is also a very big fan of broccoli. Treating your child once in a while could actually help get them to eat the good stuff.

Answer 10

If that's all you feed them, then yes. Junk food makes children FAT *gasp*. Letting them have a cookie or some chips now and again isn't a bad thing but when that's all they eat all the time.... Children need healthy, nutritious food to grow properly and if a parent doesn't offer that, well, that parent needs to be smacked for being stupid/ignorant. When you have a child it is your responsibility to know what foods they need to eat and what foods they don't.

Answer 11

I dont think it is child abuse but I wish that the U.S. would take better care of their health and nutrition especially of children. But there are many problems in our society. It is cheaper to buy junk food than to buy healthy food. So it is economics as well. For example a happy meal at McDonalds is defintely cheaper than buying food at the grocery store to make a complete meal. Also it is faster to eat junk food.