For anyone from places in the US or abroad who can't understand why a society would subject children to this sort of situation, here are some of the attitudes that give rise to it:

"I shouldn't have to pay to feed other people's kids"

"If you don't shame the kids, the parents will never take responsibility for them"

"A lot of those [poor] kids are overweight anyways"

I've heard all of these said in some form.