The management of the Oulton Hall Hotel near Leads in the UK have an odd sense of humor. They thought they would have a 'bit of fun' and make parents pay for their children's Sunday dinner based on weight. Not the weight of the food the child consumes, but the weight of the child. A kid who weighs 5st (70 pounds) would be charged £5, with the price increasing along with the weight of the child.

Child obesity expert Professor Paul Gateley isn't laughing and believes the public weigh-ins would be humiliating for a child . "What child wants to be pulled on to scales and judged? The undoubted outcome is that they will feel bad. It's especially likely to upset girls, who tend to become aware of their weight as early as seven."

Oulton Hall spokesman Nigel Massey thinks Gateley just needs to get over it. "There will no doubt be people who say it's not politically correct and have a grumble about it. Well, frankly they should get a life and stop being so miserable." Ah, that 'screw you' attitude is so refreshing in the hospitality industry.

Massey goes on to say that the pay-as-you-weigh program is entirely voluntary and was conceived as a way to help parents save a bit of money when dining out. If a child declines to be weighed, the regular kid's meal price of £11.25 will be charged, which is half of the adult meal.

I am not all that great with math and less so when it involves converting weights and monies, but it does seem like this would be a good deal for parents with young and small children. But the program is open to kids as old as 15. Do you think think Professor Gateley is being overly sensitive? Or should he, as Massey suggests, stop being so miserable?