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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:
miniaturepixieonacid · 22/10/2024 23:52

OP didn't ask if her son was overweight, she knows he is. She asked if he could be overweight and healthy at the same time.

Beenhereforever1978 · 22/10/2024 23:51

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.

Are you looking at the same picture I'm looking at?

Utterly ridiculous statement.

DinosaurMunch · 22/10/2024 23:50

Calliopespa · 22/10/2024 23:48

He looks a well built boy op. Some Dc are really seriously scrawny and to their parents he probably could look overly heavy. He looks to be like a boy who is going to be a tall, well built type. It’s often the little scrawny ones who don’t end up with much height and go to fat by their mid thirties

I don't think that's true - overweight children load their height early and then stop growing and don't reach their full height potential.

Being scrawny due to malnourishment will also limit adult height. But there's a lot of middle ground between the two

Beenhereforever1978 · 22/10/2024 23:50

Oh lawks, the first commenters really are bastards on this one.

BMI is a hugely clumsy tool for a start. You know your kid better than anyone, his fitness and diet etc. Both of mine were absolute podges at that age, both are now STILL fit and healthy but are a different shape (24 & 16).

miniaturepixieonacid · 22/10/2024 23:50

I think a child can be overweight and healthy, yes. Because sometimes their height and weight don't grow evenly. I know 2 little girls personally, one aged 10 and one aged 11 who are tall, elegant, slim but not skinny girls. As younger children, both were very overweight. One got a warning letter from school aged 5 saying she was dangerously overweight. They looked big too, it wasn't a muscular thing. Both do hours of dance and gymnastics every week and have an otherwise healthy lifestyle. They've always been healthy, they just needed to grow into their weight.

Original poster
NameChangedOct24 · 22/10/2024 23:48

Thanks all, yes definitely 8 years, wears 9-10 clothes. 35kg and 135cm tall

OP posts:
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.

Calliopespa · 22/10/2024 23:48

He looks a well built boy op. Some Dc are really seriously scrawny and to their parents he probably could look overly heavy. He looks to be like a boy who is going to be a tall, well built type. It’s often the little scrawny ones who don’t end up with much height and go to fat by their mid thirties

Nogaxeh · 22/10/2024 23:46

BMI is useful as a population-level screening tool, but it isn't very good as a diagnostic for an individual. There are better ways to measure health, though I'm not sure if the waist-to-height ratio works for children.

TashaTudor · 22/10/2024 23:46

My 14 year old is 99th centile.
If I change his age to 18 his bmi is perfect. It makes no sense to me and your son looks fine.

neilyoungismyhero · 22/10/2024 23:46

That doesn't look like any 8 year old I know.

TomatoSandwiches · 22/10/2024 23:45

He has a belly overhang, to be frank yes he is overweight op.

JaneAustenshandbag · 22/10/2024 23:45

I don’t think you should share pictures of a child and ask internet strangers to comment on their weight. See your GP if you are concerned.

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

HelpMediegp · 22/10/2024 23:45

In fact. Is that really an 8yr old child. He looks about 14

HelpMediegp · 22/10/2024 23:44

He looks fairly overweight to me, his stomach is big and generally he looks a lot older than 8 in terms of his body

NameChangedOct24 · 22/10/2024 23:42

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