Four children have been taken into care in the UK because they are so obese.
One of the children, a ten year old, weighed ten stone, whilst a fifteen-year-old with a seventeen stone bulk was also removed from parental care.
The Sun reports today that it obtained the statistics under a Freedom of Information request.
Three of the four children were from the London borough of Lewisham, whilst a fourth case occurred in Northumberland, where an eleven stone eleven-year-old was placed under the care of the local authority.
In each case, the local authorities said that 'the obesity of the child was cited as a factor in care proceedings.'
The first child to be taken away from her parents because of her weight occurred in 2007, when a ten-stone eight-year-old girl from West Cumbria was taken into care.
Experts are warning that current trends indicated that a million children will be 'obese' by 2012.
The National Obesity Forum said social services must intervene to safeguard children's health, but not leave parents without access to them.
Forum chairman Prof David Haslam said: 'A child should not be taken from their parents unless in real danger. Instead, health workers should provide input into the home.'
What do you think?
Should obese children be removed from their parents?