FROM THE READERMany readers of the ED were upset this week about the closure of a Kwantum store in Eindhoven. But most of the dust was raised by the news about stomach reductions in thirteen-year-olds in the MMC Veldhoven. “Total madness.”
Young people aged 13 to 17 can go to the Veldhoven hospital who are so struggling with being overweight that the last resort is a stomach reduction. For the MMC, the radical operation on young people is part of a study that they are conducting together with Maastricht UMC+.
The message provokes fierce reactions from many readers of the ED. Lianne Verouden immediately thinks hers: ‘Is this a misplaced April 1 joke?’ and Ton Polderman can’t reach it with his mind. ‘Shame. This should be prohibited by law. Greater madness does not exist.’
Ridiculous
Most readers, in their reactions to Facebook in particular, provide comments and advice for parents. ‘Ridiculous statement that surgery is the ‘only remedy’ for young people!’, says Maria Kivits Hermans. ‘They should get more exercise and leave the ‘fast food’ and just start eating healthier! (…) And…. I would like to say to working parents: just prepare healthy food and don’t give your children money to go to the snack bar in the morning! Also healthier for the parents themselves!’.
Every day is a struggle and every day is worrying about your child’s health
The reactions hit Debby van der Horst hard. “It’s nice that all the commenters here are so knowledgeable. It sounds like they all have experience with obesity and its consequences, all have experience with a gastric bypass and its advantages and disadvantages, and all have experience with children who are very overweight and who work hard every day with their weight and getting healthy, without real success . So here speaks such a very bad mother, who has allowed her child to become much too fat. Such a mother who throws in bags of chips and coke every day…. Because that’s the image it evokes for everyone, isn’t it? Children who always get junk food because parents don’t want to raise them and eventually choose the ‘easy’ way and a gastric bypass. While the reality is quite different.
Every day is a struggle and every day is worrying about your child’s health. Children with depression, self-harm and trauma. And that on top of the physical health that leaves something to be desired… And then a gastric bypass, as a last resort. Watch your food for life. Not just at a party, no greasy bite after going out, big risks in the long term. So it is a choice between two evils. But apparently reading the reactions other people know it all better…’
→ Read here what we previously published on this topic
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and don’t miss a thing of the stars.