AIBU to wonder how it's possible for an 8yo to be obese?

[create]

I know I am and I'm being judgey too, but how?

I struggle to buy trousers fro my DSs (8 & 10) because they won't stay up.

I am in no way healthly eating obsessed. We eat 3 meals a day, mostly home cooked, but not always low fat, eg sausages and chips do feature and if anyone's still hungry there's always cake or a pud. My boys are active when out and about, but not sporty. They spend a good part of each day indoors and they get reasonable amounts of crisps and sweets as treats. DS1 is always hungry and never denied food (usually toast or a cheese sandwich for snacks) and yet still "average" waists are far too big for them.

What are the other parents feeding their kids?

[Dartfordmummy]

If you know you're being judgey why both asking!!

[AnyFucker]

Of course it is possible, just look around you

You have skinny kids

Some people don't

I don't get why you posted

If you wanted a serious discussion about childhood obesity, this isn't going to be it

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Er because they're eating mire and moving less than your dc and because they have different builds and different metabolisms. There you are, easy.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Eating more.

[Sidge]

"What are the other parents feeding their kids?"

It varies - some feed them the right sorts of foods just too much of it.

Some feed them utter shite.

Some never say no to their children and feed them constantly.

Some let their children sit in front of the TV/computer/X-box for hours on end.

Some are blinkered to the fact their kids are obese and refer to them as chubby/chunky/well covered/puppy fat/sturdy/plump/podgy.

[spiderpig8]

i think it's to do with metabolism.my kids shouldn't be so skinny on what they eat!

[janelikesjam]

just slightly off topic - whats wrong with being judgemental? you SHOULD judge people by their actions (not necessarily one-off stuff, but overall stuff yes).

This ridiculous psychobabble about not judging people has done untold harm.

My take: yes, appreciate people as they are, no-one is perfect of course and overall there are lots of good people in the world.

But shitty behaviour and people need to be judged, p.s. thats why we have the criminal justice system; its based on the premise of adults taking responsibility.

[itisnearlysummer]

Well I'm going to duck out of this pretty early on because I don't want to read 100 excuses and reasons why YABU, but I agree with you.

There was one 'obese' girl in my year at primary school and she had disabilities that contributed to that. The rest of us were, allowing for individual differences, slim/skinny kids.

Some of the children virtually roll to and from school now!

[WhoseGotMyEyebrows]

My childrens trousers and skirts fall down as well. I have to take everything in.

[Summerbird73]

because they eat shite and dont do any activiites, i agree with you actually OP. I dont think you have worded your post v well as you havent given a specific example, i am drawing my comparisons to my 2yo DS and one of his friends a few months older than him who is unproportionally bigger than him. i know for a fact that she - er well - eats shite and doesnt do any activities

[cornsilksy]

unnecessary thread

[MrsSchadenfreude]

DD1 is overweight and always has been. It's because she's been on steroids on and off since she was about 3, and sometimes for quite long periods. That's because she has a chronic illness. She has a very healthy diet, goes through veggie/vegan phases, but the extra blubber you see on her is due to the drugs.

Judge away - perhaps you would like to comment like the stupid locum doctor we saw once, that she "should eat fewer burgers, chips and not have any fizzy drinks." She's never had a burger (apart from the odd home made one), never had a fizzy drink (doesn't like them) and has chips once in a blue moon.

So not every child is fat because they eat shit. Yes, a lot of them are. But not all.

[WhoseGotMyEyebrows]

cornsilksy

unnecessary post!

[smallandroid]

i work with kids and to be honest don't see that many more obese kids in the last ten years or so

i believe some people are born with a propensity to put on weight quicker than the next person

everyone has 'something' being overweight is so visible so easy to pass judgement, rather then the middle class woman who always looks well but hides a mad cocaine addiction

[create]

It wasn't intended to be a serious post - it's in AIBU! And it's not about a specific example, more about that fact that I can;t get trousers to fit my DC, because "average" seems to be huge. I do genuinely wonder how it's possible to shovel more food into a DC than DS1 eats. I'm sorry for your DD MrsS and I know there are some children with these kinds of problems, but that's not the reason the average trousers are now made with huge waists

[itisnearlysummer]

Still agree with you create.

I also have difficulty getting clothes to fit DD5 and DD12.

DD is currently wearing shorts from Next aged 12-18 months because bigger than that just fall off her unless they have those horrible adjustable straps that just bunch up the fabric round her waist.

[foreverondiet]

Because your kids don't eat processed foods; they eat home cooked meals, and desserts if hungry. They get exercise; also when hungry they eat cheese sandwiches not crisps, biscuits and coke.

[RMutt]

I agree. I also find the waistlines on clothes I buy for dc's are usually far too wide.

I'm assuming it's because maunufacturers are catering for a demand for larger average sizes. I think that is something to be concerned about.

[notlettingthefearshow]

That is annoying, but just be grateful your kids have a good diet and good metabolisms.

I was an overweight child and not being able to get clothes to fit destroyed my self esteem and made me feel like a freak. Same when I was a teenager. I would not wish that feeling on anyone. I am so pleased that there is a better range of clothes now. Making clothes smaller will not make children slimmer.

[Rupeomatic]

yes, of course its possible - I was one. Why? because me and my siblings didn't have off switches when it came to food - and mum only realised how massive our portions were when we had friends round and they couldn't eat half the amount we did.

Interestingly I have the same problem you do finding clothes to stay up for my children - they have all been ridiculously skinny from age 5 up. Sometimes they eat healthily, sometimes not so much.

[pumpkincarver]

What is the point you're trying to make? That there are parents who feed their DC too much crap? Isn't it obvious? {looks for an interesting thread}

[LittleFriendSusan]

I too have problems getting clothes to fit my children - DS (6) because they're far too big around the waist, and DD (8) because they're not big enough. DD is tall and has to get age 10-11 for her height, but she does also have a rounded belly and a curvy bottom... which older girls' clothes just don't allow for.

They both have the same diet and, if anything, DD is probably more active than DS. We eat healthy home-cooked meals and lots of fruit & veg. They do have cakes occasionally (home-baked again) but no fizzy drinks or sweets (bar the occasional treat e.g. cinema trip). Drinks are generally water. Winds me up something chronic all the comments you get on threads like this. Yes, some children are overweight because they're fed on processed crap. But to be honest, a lot of the kids I know who have terrible diets are stick-thin. You can't always tell!!

[fruitshootsandheaves]

I feed mine crap they are thin and unhealthy except DS2 who eats a tree of apples every week he is thinner but healthier.

[fruitshootsandheaves]

please add punctuation as required in the above sentence as i couldn't be arsed.

[Wabbit]

I was podgy as a child, not perhaps obese but definitely fatter than most - I also figure skated 3 times a week (long multiple training sessions, not just 1hour jaunts around and around) and I had 3 - 4 ballet lessons a week, from the age of 9.... was podgy until I was 18.

I walked the dog frequently and rode horses and still had chance to play out too...

So, an active kid but still a heavy weight - my mother cooked pasta, stews, roast on Sundays very traditional stuff and we didn't have enough money to have too many sweets and crisps.

Some are just good dooers - as horsey people say