I am speechless. What are the 10 most frightening words ever spoken? " I'm from the government and I'm here to help you." We have lost our minds. Better to have a place to call home and lose a dad who loved you than shuffle around in foster care. GIVE THEM A CHILD. The world is slowly going mad.

Peggy, Ada, USA

Julie, being muslim or black does not affect your health - being overweight does. The fact is that this man is at higher risk of stroke and heart attack because he is overweight which could mean the child they adopt is left without a father for a second time.

Kate Reinke, Glen Iris, Australia

First of all the BMI system of judging weight is a bunch of baloney. The way they judge whether you are overweight or not is incorrect because they do not take into account different body types. I have looked closely at the photo and the gentleman in question is not obese. He is simply stocky.

Donald, Seattle, USA

Russel - two wrongs don't make a right! Just because other people are unfit parents DOESN'T make it ok to place a child in an unhealthy home. The agency is giving him a chance to loose weight and show they can provide a safe environment for the kid. Child obesity CAN be a sign of bad parenting.

Josiah, Iowa, USA

It is inconceivable that we deny these people, as well as smokers, the chance of taking care of (one of the many) children in care, but are happy to squander taxpayers' money on incompetent parents (who have conceived naturally) who spend it on cigarettes, alcohol and take outs.

Russell, Southampton,

I'm of the opinion that they're a warm and loving couple with the capacity to give so much to a child. If the husband is obese, he could be guided and supportd to lose excess weight whilst raising a child.
He looks like great dad material to me. Let him and wife adopt.

Terry, London, UK

This is absolutely ludicrous. I'm sure the council would not dream of saying someone was too black or too Muslim; it doesn’t matter what the issue is discrimination is still discrimination.

Julie, Des Moines, USA

I dont think this guy is fat at all. He's just a big guy!

amber, Wichita, USA

Quite right too. I used to go off-road motorcycling with my son from te age of 10 onwards and we were and still are very fit and slim. I am now 71. Such an obese father is a very bad example for a child and he will not live very long either. They could have married and adopted earlier perhaps.

B J Deller, Marbella, Spain

I think its a good idea that they were denied an adoption. Children should be placed with responsible adults. If the adoption agency doesn't look at every criteria before approving an adoption the very people that are criticizing this decision will also criticize if it turns out they are unfit.

David, Houston,

MAYBE, obesity is caused by all these chemicals that are put in our food? The chemicals in our air and water too. How else can you explain the reason for there being more over weight people than ever before? After they started using a lot of high fructose corn syrup people started getting too fat.

Dee Jay, USA,

Please explain the difference between being morbidly obese and excessive drinking or smoking. These children deserve not just a good immediate home, but one that will endure through their life.

Joe, TACOMA,

As a medical professional, I agree with the agency. Obesity is a preventable disease state. Why throw a child in that morbidity?

Annie, Chicago, USA

Jean and Alba are right, they need to demonstrate that they will provide proper nutrition for the child. In general BMI is NOT a good indicator of health...my roomates and I are all college rugby players and we are all 'overweight' or 'obese.' But there should be a line drawn somewhere...

Josiah, Iowa City, USA

Yet it is possible for a women to go to a pub and have sex with a stranger and have a child. Regardless of her weight. Will the child be taken from her on the grounds that she is too fat ?. I think not. What a sick example of our failing state.

J Nowland, Leeds, United Kingdom

I think this is sad and nothing less than discrimination. People die every day from all sorts of causes, and a thin person can appear deceptively healthy. Are they going to now forcefully sterilize fat people to prevent them from reproducing? I mean, where does it end? Just ask Big Brother.

Jennifer, USA,

But stupid people, fathers who abandon their children, alcoholics and drug addicts are allowed to breed unfettered...

Jack, Chicago, USA

I agree with the agency. We have more fat people in the US than anywhere else. Furthermore, child obesity is on the rise. It is a fact that obese parents have obese children. Also obesity is related to emotional issues. After all, he is going to be a role model for this child

Jean, boston, usa

Overfeeding a child is a form of abuse. The child suffers health and social problems as a result, and the food it eats is largely down to the parents' choice. I think it's perfectly reasonable to ask people to demonstrate that they could actually feed a child properly before being able to adopt.

Alba, Southampton,

ridiculous! that's like mcdonalds requiring that you have a $3000 savings account before you're eligible to buy a $1 hamburger!

Michelle, Waynesboro, USA