Obesity researchers say a Puerto Rican bill that would fine parents of obese children up to $800 is "unbelievable" and "unfair."
Puerto Rican Sen. Gilberto Rodriguez filed a bill directing schools to find children who are obese and then refer them to health department advisers to determine the cause of obesity, formulate a diet and exercise plan, and follow up every four weeks,
ABC News reports.
If the "situation" is not resolved in six months, parents can be fined up to $500, according to the bill, and if a third progress report six months later still shows no significant weight loss, the parents can be fined up to $800.
"What's next? Will they be fining parents of children suffering from other diseases? Maybe diabetes? Maybe cancer? Maybe something else?" said Nikhil Dhurandhar, who chairs the department of nutritional sciences at Texas Tech University.
Added Rebecca Puhl, deputy director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut: "This proposal is very unfair and inappropriately penalizes and stigmatizes parents. Childhood obesity is a highly complex issue, and while the home environment is important to address, much broader societal changes are required to effectively address obesity."
© 2025 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.