Department Stores Offer Plus-Sizes For Children; Experts Weigh In

WPXI ^ | June 8, 2011

[rightwingintelligentsia]

PITTSBURGH -- Several department stores are now offering plus sizes for children, which some experts believe is a sign of how serious the epidemic of childhood obesity is.

Linda Peeples, manager of a Pittsburgh-area JC Penny [sic] store, said many parents are thrilled to find the plus sections for their kids.

"You are trying to figure out something to fit this kid so she can be in style and won't be picked on in school. I think that's pretty much the reason why they brought in the plus size," Peeples said.

Peeples said her store has been offering kids plus sizes for several months, and it's not alone. Other stores like Sears and Land's End have more plus sizes for kids.

Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years.

Kimberly Schwabenbauer, a registered dietitian for Super Bakery in Pittsburgh, said parents need to keep their children active.

"These kids don't need to go to the gym. They need to play a pickup game of baseball or even something with their friends like kickball," Schwabenbauer said.

[ReneeLynn]

When I was a fat kid we had nothing. Lane Bryant? My mom made my clothes. It was awful. And that’s going back a way. Today everything is an ‘epidemic’. No one was talking about an epidemic when I was a fat kid.

[esoxmagnum]

The North Koreans tell their people they should be happy they are thin as well.

When your government starts telling you that you are too big, what they really mean is “you should be thanking Dear Leader for the rough times ahead”.

I am glad I live in a country where people are bigger than the average citizen of Africa or North Korea.

How this country has evolved into a Euro-Weenie type, hand wringing, guilt ridden populace is beyond me.

First it was white guilt, now they want everyone to have prosperity guilt.

[altura]

I remember when women’s sizes went up to 52. Now, they have the more charming name of 1X, 2X and so on. But they’re the same size.

I don’t see a lot of fat kids and I live in walking distance of 3 schools. I do see a few more than I once did. When I was in school, a fat kid was the exception.

But I see a whale (excuse the expression) of a lot of fat women and men. I see a lot of obesity from slight to scary. I feel sorry for these people. I’ve been trying to lose 5 pounds for 3 months and it’s hard, I can’t even imagine the discipline required to lose 100 or more.

But it’s just smart marketing to offer sizes that are needed and I don’t want Michelle telling me what to eat.

We need to figure out a way to make over-eating as unpopular as ‘they’ have managed to make smoking. I don’t believe in smoking bans but even prior to those bans, the percentage of smokers in the population was way down (to about 20% from about 80%)... how did that happen?

[Yaelle]

There are kids with disabilities who cannot exercise who deserve clothes that fit. There are kids built like trucks, future football players, who deserve clothes that fit. There are kids bloated due to cancer drugs that deserve clothes that fit. And even fat kids deserve clothes that fit, while they wait to grow and get slimmer.

[napscoordinator]

Back in the day, we had one fat kid in our class and he was constantly made fun of. He never did get skinny. You would have thought with all the taunts, he would have lost some weight but maybe he liked the attention regardless of whether it was negative. Today it is disgusting how many fat kids are in my kids class. It is really sad that parents allow their kids to be fat. The only thing I would say about your grandchild sneaking food would be to just by veggies and fruits only. Yes a bit more expensive but worth it in the long run. Your grandson hopefully is not going through anything. Of course today if you make fun of children, the school will clamp down hard on the perps.

[dinodino]

Sucks. I feel so badly for kids who are significantly overweight. It sets them up for a lifetime of bad habits and health. And I gotta admit, I get mad at their parents. When the children are young, it IS their job to teach them proper nutrition and how to eat.

I remember JCPenney years ago had husky or something like that, too...

[Boogieman]

“You are trying to figure out something to fit this kid so she can be in style and won’t be picked on in school.”

If the kid needs plus size clothes, they are going to get picked on, one way or another.

[GailA]

That is what they have done. No soda’s, water and some of those 0 calorie drinks. Controlled portions, heavy on protein. No chips, cookies, except on rare occasions. What is interesting he ate every thing before he started school. Since then he has become a picky eater. He will sneak a hot dog from the freezer and eat it. LOL.

All the doc wants is for him to hold his weight as his body will catch up with his poundage. He will be a tall man when he reaches full growth with large bones if heritage holds true. They were doing great holding him to just a 2-3 lb a year weight gain, until they moved to Bowling Green, KY where the lunch room person allowed him to eat all he wanted and they had to pay for it. Put on 15 lbs in no time at all. It is a ‘PROGRESSIVE” school. A trip to the principal put a stop to that, I strongly suspect my son told the idiot he would not pay for more than the ‘norm’ lunch, no extras. Now that he is out in the country and not in an apartment complex any more he is able to get out side to play. Believe me the TV, net and vid time is very limited as they found out it is the best punishment for bad behavior or bad grades.

No, not that we know of, he just doesn’t seem to care that he is 35 lbs over weight.