You all need to go here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16429930/ and here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16981527/wid/11915773?GT1=9033 as soon as possible. The first is an article discussing the groundbreaking news that girls who read articles about dieting develop more food-related problems later in life and the second is information on an increase in child obesity related surgeries. Apparently, the surgeries are now safer and so it’s okay to stick your fat kid under the knife—might as well nip that weight problem right in the bud right?

Again, I’m not advocating an unhealthy lifestyle—but I am advocating non-mutilation of our children’s bodies. At times gastric-bypass surgery or the stomach band might very well be a responsible necessary decision for an adult to make after serious consultation with a doctor. But, for a child? Obese or not is “corrective” surgery for an obese child the best way to improve the child’s situation? How about taking your kid for a walk everyday, playing catch, hide and go seek, tag, and monitoring what sorts of food they eat? I mean if your child has that serious of a weight-problem then don’t you, as a parent, carry the responsibility of teaching them good lifestyle choices? And isn’t the message of “if you don’t like yourself just have surgery” not the best option?

I’m no Doctor Spock here people—I don’t have kids and I certainly am not a health-nut advocate, but…please. First we mutilate the bodies of our retarded kids and now we mutilate the bodies of our ugly kids.

Oh brave new world and what wondrous beings are in it.