In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause damage, illness, or death to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism. Paracelsus, the father of toxicology, once wrote: "Everything is poison, there is poison in everything. Only the dose makes a thing not a poison"................
Obesity has been a factor in at least 20 child protection cases in the last year, the BBC has learned.
Some doctors now believe in extreme cases overfeeding a young child should be seen as a form of abuse or neglect.
The BBC contacted almost 50 consultant paediatricians around the UK to ask if they believe childhood obesity can ever be a child protection issue.
The British Medical Association is due to debate a motion on this issue at its annual conference at the end of June.
Earlier this year the case of one obese child hit the headlines when social workers became involved.
Dr Tabitha Randell, a consultant paediatrician from Nottingham, is one doctor who believes some parents are killing their children with kindness.
In her clinic it has become more common to see children entering puberty before the age of 10 because of their obesity.
Obesity is a public health problem, not a child protection issue
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
In one extreme case Dr Randell saw a child aged two and a half who weighed more than four stone (25.4 kg).
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