Authorities are using kids' bulging waistlines as a justification for taking them from their parents' care.

At least two children in Victoria have been removed from their parents because of their weight.



And it is predicted there will be more cases to come.



Associate Professor John Dixon from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute told the ABC that sometimes taking children away from their parents is the best option.



"(Obesity can be the result of a) whole range of environmental issues, the food, the lack of transport, all sorts of things.



"But it also can be symptomatic of dysfunctional circumstances ... where there's problems; mental illness, siblings with disabilities, that really make family life for some of these children very complex indeed, and produce that rare circumstance where they may be better off out of home for a while.



Obesity is the leading cause of death and illness in Australia and most Australians are considered overweight.



Professor Dixon said parents can't be solely blamed for their kid’s obesity.



"(Parents) are putting a lot of effort into doing things about it and they don't get a lot of response from our health care professionals and services, etc," he said.



"We have very few services to manage children who are very big."



The news comes as a ‘Fat Pride’ conference started today in New Zealand.



The conference will hear how "weightism" is used to deny fat people their human rights.