The Child's Right To A Lean Future: Ethical Justification of State Interventions in Cases of Childhood Obesity

Abstract

In response to a motion proposed in 2007 by the members of the British Medical Association to charge parents of obese children with neglect, this thesis explores whether or not the childhood obesity epidemic could justify state interventions. And if so: which kind of state interventions could be ethically justified and what conditions should these interventions meet? A comprehensive answer to this question is provided by analysing if childhood obesity could indeed constitute parental neglect and by applying the moral philosophy of Joel Feinberg. After discussing the necessary conditions state interventions aimed at preventing or decreasing childhood obesity should meet, a guideline is proposed to make a clear distinction between ethical and unethical forms of state intervention.