Dara-Lynn Weiss was criticized a lot for putting her 7-year-old daughter on a weight-loss diet and then writing about it in her memoir, "The Heavy: A Mother, A Daughter, A Diet." The author opens up to NPR about her controversial decision and why all the criticism was worth the act.

Last year Dara-Lynn Weiss wrote in an article in Vogue that she had put her 7-year-old daughter on a diet to lose weight. This move was heavily criticized, so much so that a German tabloid titled her "Monster-Mutter No.1." In her new memoir, "The Heavy: A Mother, A Daughter, A Diet," Weiss explains why she needed to take such measures and addresses the issue of childhood obesity.

Talking to a reporter of NPR, the mother of the now-fit child explained what seemed to be an act of cruelty but was actually an act of love and concern.

"Before I had an obese child, I had very clear ideas about what caused childhood obesity and what would fix childhood obesity. And I very much blamed parents of obese children for not feeding their children properly, for not seeing to it that they had healthy habits or got enough exercise," Weiss says.

Prior to putting her daughter on a diet, Weiss did try a few other steps like changing her daughter's meal times and making her take part in more activities. However, she continued to put on weight. During a visit to the doctor, Weiss revealed, the doctor suggested it was time to take some serious actions.

Weiss reveals that she was aware that her decision was controversial but  being "the heavy" is part of good parenting. Making unpopular and complicated decisions is part of being "the tough one for the best interest of the child," she says.