People commenting on my 6 YO DD weight?

I'm sorry but that's ridiculous, talk about a low bar. People manage to provide basically healthy (occasionally less than optimal) balanced food in all sorts of circumstances, many of which are much worse than 'having twins'. OP sounds very well intentioned and willing to listen to advice for changes which could be made, it's patronising to congratulate her on keeping her children alive.

The average is 2st so....she's more than double that. She sounds very overweight. My 8 and 9 year olds just about weigh that.

Rubbish, it's around 3 stone at 6.

It's actually 3 stones and 4lbs 😆

Nonsense, a 2 stone 6yo would be severely malnourished.

Normal range is 36-60 pounds. 4 stone is 56 pounds so at the top of the range.

It sounds like something that has just gradually happened over time and definitely not something she can't very easily come back from with a few minor diet changes, so try not to worry. I would get yourself a healthy children's recipe cook book, maybe include her in baking healthy snacks, sounds like she's active enough so I would think within a few months she'll be back on the average side of the BMI scale 💖

And you don't think that possibly a) clothes shops want to flatter parents into thinking their children are the right size (and sell more clothes, and sell clothes for the child of that age who's the middle of the current range of children of that age and b) you could possibly be swayed by seeing lots of OTHER overweight children?

Exactly this. Children are hugely overweight and unhealthy which means shops have had to adjust their sizing. The lack of knowledge is, sadly, not surprising

@drspouse and @Otherstories2002. I'm aware that the amount of overweight dc is an issue in general. But it's not ALL children. I only replied to a ridiculous comment, replying that a child being half an adult's weight is often normal as this is the case with my youngest ds. But your continued insistence that my 7 year old must be overweight is...odd 😂

To set your poor minds at rest, I am completely comfortable with my 7 year old's weight for the following reasons:

• He is within the NHS's healthy BMI range.
• He comfortably fits into clothes intended for his height.
• He looks to be of healthy weight, with no visible excess fat at all and very clearly visible ribs.
• He eats a healthy diet.
• He is as fit as a fiddle. He takes part in a number sports, so trains several times a week. He's amongst the fastest and most nimble on his teams. He can ride his bike up a steep incline for several minutes without breaking a sweat. Bounces on the trampoline for 20 minutes straight with zero effort. Etc etc.
• I have prior experience of very tall, broad boys and am aware that some body types have heavy genetic influence. Both of my teens (16/14) are 6 foot plus (as is dh). They have broad shoulders and slim waists, are a perfect weight with high muscle tone and both play a sport at national level for their age group. They BOTH stayed in the circa 75-80th centile for weight for all of childhood. It's their build. So far, ds3 is mirroring this pattern.

So just to summarise, no, I don't consider my 7 year old has any weight problem 😂 Save your concern and snarky comments for where they're needed.

I have a large bowl of fruit as snacks and 3 meals a day. If the kids want cake they have to make it. I’m not adverse to buying cakes, bars etc but usually only for celebrations or days out. No child needs tea AND supper. Just have one meal at a sensible time. This seems to have worked out quite well. I feel sorry for the kids I see who are overweight and teenagers. They are not going to be healthy moving forward.

As someone who does actually have an overweight child , I'd say stop panicking. She's not massively overweight at all. In fact, there's a lot of severely underewight kids on this thread if people's comments are to be believed.

My daughter is an athlete - trains 26 hours a week. She's 11 and weighs 6 stone. Very trim, toned beyond belief. I'm almost certain at reception age weigh in she was 2stone 9 and there was nothing of her.

My son on the other hand has always been a bigger build, you'd have described him as stocky when he was younger. He's overweight now. Weighs 8 stone and he's 10. However, I have mentioned it to lots of doctors (he has multiple medical conditions) and none of them are bothered as he's 5'2 , wears a shoe size 39 and you would never ever say someone at 5'2 who weighed 8 stone was fat. BUT i know out of clothes he definitely is - he just gets away with it in clothes.

How does your daughter look? Can you post a picture minus her head? Strangers will be honest.

I'm a size 10 and weigh a lot lot more than people would ever guess! I just carry weight in an odd way I'm sure! My weight classifies me as 'obese' - yet I'm in size 10 clothing (from normal shops not shops where the sizing is odd!)

That’s incorrect. The weight / height given by the op is top of overweight / cusp of obese. It is not within normal range.

I haven’t addressed you for quite some time so I’m not sure why you’re addressing me. I have nothing to say to you. Your child has nothing to do with the thread if they aren’t as you say overweight.

Ok, point taken. “Range”, rather than “normal range”. It was in response to a PP saying the average weight is 2st.

No 6yo weighs 2 stone.

I think four stone is a lot unless she’s unusually tall! My six year old is 2stone 11 and my 10 year old 4stone 3.

3 reasonable adults, who you have no reason to assume get their kicks from fat-shaming children... They might just have a point.

If you are, in fact, assessing your child according to the medical criteria, why are you even stating "fits into clothes intended for their age" as an objective criteria?
It doesn't really back up your critical thinking.

DD is 8 years old and weighs 3.5 stones. She's average height as in there's some in her class taller than her but most are similar if not shorter.
She looks underweight but isn't for her height and I get lots of comments on how underfed she looks.
People will always comment, a bit like they do with babies and pregnancy.
I see you're prepared to make some changes and that will show really quickly in an active child so don't beat yourself up.

Limit the sweet snacks to special treats, not every day. I wouldn’t cut portion sizes at that age. Make sure she’s active, and tell other people to mind their own business! The last thing she needs is to hear comments about her weight.

If you are, in fact, assessing your child according to the medical criteria, why are you even stating "fits into clothes intended for their age" as an objective criteria? It doesn't really back up your critical thinking

It was just an additional, illustrative point - aimed at the other poster (the one who doesn't like people responding to her after she posts a load of ill-informed crap 😂) - who was insistent that my dc, whilst in the healthy weight range, was still overweight if they're above the 50th centile.

I am happy for people to respond to me. I am not interested in engaging with someone who cannot work out that if a child is on the 67th centile they’re in the upper end.

but furthermore, you’re child is either overweight and relevant to this post or not and therefore totally irrelevant.

"Upper end" does not mean overweight. Over the 90th centile is overweight.

Horrified at those statistics.

It can only be home that is the problem at that age - school dinners are healthy, most packed lunches are fairly healthy, primary schools generally ask for fruit for snacks and water to drink, kids run around all day at school at that age, so where are they getting the junk from to get so obese?

We always had sandwich, yoghurts, cereal bar, fruit, small packs of crisps etc in our lunch growing up, ate 90’s dinners (not overly healthy), has biscuits for snacks and there were barely any overweight children in our whole school. Children must be eating so excessively at that age and not moving to be obese.

We played constantly at weekends/school holidays. If we weren’t in the park, round a friends house, we were out on walks at the weekend. Its shocking that a child so young is starting a downward spiral into a life of health problems. We already know the horrible effects of obesity - diabetes, increased risk of cancer etc. A 4 year old doesn’t decide on meals/what shopping to buy so its up to us to not damage their health for life.

Keep things simple! The diet you are offering is not healthy.
No need to have any conversations with her about weight. Just change the habits.

It's only in your hands, if she gets used to it while she is small will be much easier as an adult.

You already acknowledged that something is not right and that's great!

@Isitautumnyet23 It explains why lots of parents don’t realise. Op says she thought her child was in line with rest of her class but it’s likely that at least a 1/4 are already overweight.

sorry but 4 stone at 6 years old is massive. As her parent it is up to you to make sure she lives a healthy life and doesn't end up into a life of obesity and health declining issues. i say that as someone who has been severely obese my whole life and it started as a child.

also yes i get emotional over it. the other day i saw a very overweight boy around 10 years old and he couldnt even walk up a simple flight of steps without struggling to breathe. It was heartbreaking