A lot of America’s children are growing up really fat, with unfortunate genetics, bodily disorders and/or poor living habits playing a role in affecting their weight.

But should the government step in when the obesity has the potential to be lethal?

Dr. Norman Fost of the University of Wisconsin’s Hospital Ethics Committee believes so.

“The goal of state action is not to fix obesity — it’s to prevent death in cases that are the worst of the worst, children who as best we can tell aren’t going to make it to adulthood.”

He goes on to emphasize that state action should be a last resort, with education, home health services, nutritionists and financial assistance being the first on the list.

“If all that fails, the child may be removed. Over the course of probably three to six months, you would work on diet, and you would hope to get the child on an exercise regime.”

David Orentlicher of the Indiana University’s Hall Center for Law and Health is more concerned about the role that family will eventually play in a child’s battle with obesity.

“Well, the only way they are going to make it safe is to work with the family and teach good practices, and since they are going to have to do that anyway, why take the child out?”

Orentlicher agrees, however, does not completely rule out state invention.

“When a child is taken away from his or her family, it’s very traumatic. So before you do that, you want to make sure you absolutely have to do it. It’s a matter of what’s best for the child,” he says.

Fortunately, though, if you select the right diet pills, losing weight can be a goal within your reach of achieving.