Floodgates open to prosecute parents for feeding children certain diets following landmark Florida case.
Baby Woyah Andressohn died from an infection caused by a congenital defect which weakened her immune system.
The Andressohns were still found guilty of neglect despite even Prosecutor Walker admitting there was very little evidence to prove neglect.
Even as Judge Stanford Blake denied a motion to drop the neglect charges Friday afternoon, he told the attorneys in open court that were it not for evidence of growth charts showing that the Andressohn children were smaller than 97 percent of other children their age, he would have considered dismissing them.
This "evidence" however is rediculed in the face of statistics which show the vast majority of children in the Florida are overweight and obesity levels that the governor of Florida's Department of Health has described as an epidemic.
"Obesity-related health problems affect African Americans at rates substantially higher than non-minorities," Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson said. "These startling statistics clearly show the need for a campaign to increase awareness among this impacted population. We want everyone to know the facts and understand that they can take action to improve their health."
Obesity rates have doubled among children and tripled among teenagers since 1980, with unhealthy diet and lack of exercise contributing to this epidemic. Obesity could soon overtake smoking as the leading killer of Americans.
Cultural factors, including traditional diets and exercise habits, can increase obesity among some minority groups, particularly African Americans and Hispanics. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), only about one-fourth of U.S. adults eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. African Americans consume less than half the amount of vegetables that Caucasians consume.
According to the CDC:
More than half of African American and Hispanic women are obese.
One in four African American women over age 55 has diabetes.
2.7 million African Americans over age 20 have been diagnosed with diabetes. That accounts for 13 percent of all African Americans.
"The disturbing statistics about obesity-related illnesses in African Americans should serve as a wake-up call," said state Senator Anthony C. "Tony" Hill Sr., of Jacksonville. Hill, a member of the Florida Caucus of Black State Legislators and vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, helped initiate the public awareness campaign. Hill's Senate district includes Duval County, which has an African American population of more than 333,000.
If the Florida authorities are going to start prosecuting parents for not feeding their children their state recommended diet they have a big job ahead of them! The courts will be very busy.
more - Florida Governor's Task Force on the Obesity Epidemic
1 comment:
Woyah Andressohn died of malnutrition. Her diet of wheatgrass, almond, and coconut juice is not representative of the diets fed by most vegan parents and would not be endorsed by any reputable vegan organization.
It only discredits veganism to attempt to defend people whose bizarre food choices lead to malnutrition and death.
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