Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it’s possible for child to be overweight BMI but not unhealthy?

217 replies

NameChangedOct24 · 22/10/2024 23:38

My DS is age 8 and falls into 95th centile overweight BMI on child growth charts. To me he doesn’t look overweight, is it possible that he is still healthy despite the chart and I’m not deluded….ill try to upload a pic.

OP posts:
Mirrrors · 23/10/2024 02:37

Who doesn’t love seeing a group of adults mocking a child’s appearance 😍😍😍

Notaurewhy · 23/10/2024 02:19

Josette77 · 23/10/2024 02:04

Doctor's. Doctor's make this up.

Kids bodies are different to adults. Ribs protruding? No. Ribs that can be seen? Yes.

Show quote history

Sorry but that is not an exact science at all! I've seen people who were desperate to put on weight, but their DNA wasn't built that way. I've seen several male members of my family be "chunky" at this age to then grow into the inevitable 6'4" fit selves. I honestly don't think enough research is done into this. It's a non event academically. The danger is we don't allow DNA to do it's thing and we compare and contrast"body types" on SM. But again I am not minimising the extremes of this which I do witness also.

chaosmaker · 23/10/2024 02:15

Ancel Keyes was a dick

Josette77 · 23/10/2024 02:04

Notaurewhy · 23/10/2024 01:59

You absolutely shouldn't see his ribs. I didn't see the photos but no, ribs on show are not an indication of healthy eating or not being overweight at this age. Who makes this stuff up?

Doctor's. Doctor's make this up.

Kids bodies are different to adults. Ribs protruding? No. Ribs that can be seen? Yes.

Josette77 · 23/10/2024 01:59

Messedupabit · 22/10/2024 23:45

When I was 21, I was ridiculously skinny. (for those who can remember Jane Norman, their size 8 hung off me)
My aunt wanted me hospitalised because I was skeletal.
I was 5ft 2 and 9 stone. According to bmi, I was overweight by a stone!
BMI is the trigger for eating disorders in my opinion

I've battled anorexia. I don't know anyone who developed one based on BMI..

Also 9 stone is a healthy bmi so I'm not sure what you mean? At 5'2 103-136 is the healthy range.

I would be concerned if you were extremely skeletal at 126 lbs. I'd be worried something else was going on.

Notaurewhy · 23/10/2024 01:59

You absolutely shouldn't see his ribs. I didn't see the photos but no, ribs on show are not an indication of healthy eating or not being overweight at this age. Who makes this stuff up?

Josette77 · 23/10/2024 01:54

chaosmaker · 23/10/2024 01:37

Dunno why the NHS uses BMI as it wasn't even made up by a medical person in the first place. It is utter nonsense

It's not though. For the majority of the population it is a useful tool. There are outliers of course but for most of us it's a reasonable range.

Josette77 · 23/10/2024 01:53

Celticgold · 23/10/2024 00:55

He is fine why are people so mean!! He does not look overweight. BMI charts are not a whole picture. if he keeps getting told he is overweight it could give him issues with food & body image. He will have growth spurts & his body will change it happens to boys & girls. What happened to being kind or if you can’t say something nice say nothing!

Why is saying he's overweight mean? Or unkind?!

Other than related to possible health issues there's nothing inherently bad about being overweight.

If he does have weight issues it's kinder to tackle them now so he can avoid any health complications down the road.

chaosmaker · 23/10/2024 01:37

Dunno why the NHS uses BMI as it wasn't even made up by a medical person in the first place. It is utter nonsense

Original poster
NameChangedOct24 · 23/10/2024 01:15

Thanks for all the replies - I’ve requested the photo be removed as recommended by a few posters.
DS does eat well (ish) - he’s a bit fussy with some veg. A lot of protein ( fish, eggs, chicken) but only manages small carb portions. is very active (cycles 2 miles to school each day, plays regular sports for a team, bi-weekly martial arts club, is a strong regular swimmer for 8),

but I am worried I’ve lost sight of what is a normal weight. The ribs/no ribs debate is interesting.

OP posts:
Aquamarineeyes · 23/10/2024 01:11

I wasn't commenting on OP's child - I didn't see the picture.

Maria1979 · 23/10/2024 01:10

He looks perfectly healthy to me! Just did a bmi on 135/35 and he falls in to the normal range🤷‍♀️. My first DS was skinny at 8 even though he ate alot. Second DS 11 (short) looks like your boy and he is not overweight at all. A growth spurt and you will be worried that his too skinny wait and see. And relax! If you know his diet is balanced and that he has no problem running around like they do that age I would not give it another thought.

Aquamarineeyes · 23/10/2024 01:10

People forget (or weren't born) what the children of previous generations were like. Children did not look like scaled down adults - they were what would today be probably described as scrawny. Yes, you would be able to see their ribs. I went to a primary school say with 200 pupils - there was one slightly overweight child.

pizzapizzadaddio · 23/10/2024 01:04

OP please remember that people come here just to be bitchy. It’s inexplicable but people enjoy being mean about a child under the guise of being ‘helpful’ or concerned. Please remember that you’re commenting on a small boy’s body@DinosaurMunch

Celticgold · 23/10/2024 00:55

He is fine why are people so mean!! He does not look overweight. BMI charts are not a whole picture. if he keeps getting told he is overweight it could give him issues with food & body image. He will have growth spurts & his body will change it happens to boys & girls. What happened to being kind or if you can’t say something nice say nothing!

MemphisBluesAgain · 23/10/2024 00:52

I think the question is really "what do we mean by healthy?". It's unlikely that a child that age will have arteriosclerosis or heart disease. But could he be storing up problems for the future? Potentially.

StressedQueen · 23/10/2024 00:52

DinosaurMunch · 22/10/2024 23:48

Definitely overweight - he has a large flabby belly overhanging his shorts. He looks like a man with middle aged spread.

Missed this but this is SO insane and has to be a joke

Baxterbaxter · 23/10/2024 00:50

I wouldn’t say he’s overweight at all - in fact, the posters who say he is overweight probably are lardy themselves!!

There are some children in my DC’s school who are definitely overweight (full bellies, chunky arms etc) but I wouldn’t class your son as overweight.

WearyAuldWumman · 23/10/2024 00:44

TashaTudor · 23/10/2024 00:08

No you shouldn't be able to see ribs. Bloody hell

Show quote history

If I could see a child's ribs, I'd worry that he was underweight.

Birdscratch · 23/10/2024 00:41

It may well be that your DS is due a growth spurt and his height will soon balance it out. Most children are going to be a little overweight or underweight at some point as they grow. It doesn’t mean you need to tell him or start any kind of health kick. It’s just something to keep an eye on while encouraging exercise and eating fruit and veg as you usually would.

It’s not a big deal now but you’re aware of it, so if it does start to become an issue you’ll be on it straight away. Once they hit senior school and they’re buying their own lunch it’s much harder to help them.

Katbum · 23/10/2024 00:37

People are being insane. You can’t tell much from that pic but the boy doesn’t look overweight. Belly overhang? God you lot are nasty.

SplendidUtterly · 23/10/2024 00:28

He doesn't look overweight to me.

TashaTudor · 23/10/2024 00:27

TomatoSandwiches · 23/10/2024 00:26

As Birdscratch said, there is a nuance to it and I'd say if you can't tell that then your opinion is unreliable.

Show quote history

Whereas your opinion is fact is it?

TomatoSandwiches · 23/10/2024 00:26

TashaTudor · 23/10/2024 00:17

.

Show quote history

As Birdscratch said, there is a nuance to it and I'd say if you can't tell that then your opinion is unreliable.

Birdscratch · 23/10/2024 00:22

Stick out
Prominently visible

Those are signs of too little weight just as not being able to see ribs is a sign of too much weight.