Overfeeding is abuse, say doctors 

Obesity has figured as a factor in 20 child protection cases this year and some doctors now think that overfeeding children could be seen as a form of abuse, according to a study by the BBC.

The BBC said its findings were based on a survey of about 50 consultant paediatricians around Britain.

Earlier this year, the case of an obese eight-year-old boy hit the headlines after social workers threatened to take him away from his parents because of concerns about his weight.

Studies show Britain has the worst rate of obesity among children in Europe and the country's media regulator plans to ban television advertising for junk food aimed at school-age children from next year.

New proposals for cracking down on obesity will be discussed by medical experts at the British Medical Association's (BMA) annual conference this month.

These will include considering obesity in young children as "neglect" and taking obese children under 12 into care, according to the national Obesity Forum, an independent charity that aims to raise awareness of the problem.

Dr Tabitha Randell, a consultant paediatrician from Nottingham, told the BBC that it was common to see children entering puberty before they were 10 because they were obese.

"I think the perception of parents is a very real problem," she said.

"If you see every other child in the playground with their belly hanging over their trousers you think that's normal."