Childhood obesity

One of the reasons childhood obesity is such a difficult topic is becuase it is so complex. It's not as simple as "eats too many sweets.". I have two children, both of whom were overweight in the pre-teen years.

DS - Brillaint eater from day 1. Has ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder. Got fat becuase he just frankly ate TOO MUCh. LOads and loads of healthy food, but in high quantities. Too many treats. No "off button" (thanks ADHD). Struggled with the right kind of exercise. DH has his own food issues and while he's actually slim and exercises a lot, he struggled to limit DS so got into habits of crisps AND chocolate every day after school.

Fixing it required shifting his diet to accomodate the sheer QUANTITY of food he needs to eat, and finding ways to incorporate more movement (vs exercise specifically) including allowing quite a lot of independence to be out and about from the age of about 10 plus joining sports groups with a heavier focus on actual fitness and stamina. He's nearly 6ft and very slim.

DD - never a good eater. Always fussy. Multiple intolerances, some of which we still haven't nailed down. Definitely too many treats and also not enough movement.
Fixing it: she's finally growing up without going out at the same time so she's slimming down overall. Intolerances are more in control so much less bloating which combined with a slowly increasing variety in her diet is helping her digestion which I think is stopping her from storing every calorie she eats. Does a lot more movement now mostly through multiple dance classes.

You need to be making changes to his diet and lifestyle now and educating him and the whole family about better nutrition and the benefits of physical activity. At the moment, you’re in control of when he eats and how much of it, which will be largely what prevents him becoming overweight. In a few years’ time, you won’t be in control of either: and his penchant for nuggets and pizza and chocolate spread and sweet things whilst being sedentary will make him far more likely to become an overweight teenager and then young person.

Indeed. OP, why are you facilitating your child's awful eating habits?

There were so many skinny kids who ate junk at my school. Until they hit puberty and the weight piled on.

I live in one of the most poverty stricken boroughs in London where childhood obesity is at an all time high.

Apart from the massive over consumption of food, I think for most it's lack of constant exercise.

Whenever I've attended netball, football, rugby, gymnastics tournaments that involve 100s of kids from this borough, it's extremely rare to see any of them overweight.

Yet they're the same average borough kids, with the same average borough parents, on the same average borough incomes.

The kids would leave the tournaments and you'd still see them in the chicken shop or McDonald's, so it's not like they're on any kind of special sports related diets.

They just get way more exercise.

Why have you posted a strange sort of stealth boast about your skinny, but unhealthy child?!
You're wearing crap diet and pedantry lifestyle like it's a fucking badge of honour.
As you are financially and socially privileged, you have the werewithal to do better.

I don't know the answer OP but my own son 10yo eats well and is overweight, both myself and his dad were slim children and are slim now.

He eats all types of fruit/veg, eats wholemeal bread, 5% fat mince, chicken breast and sausages once a week, we have a takeaway (usually McDonald's or chippy) once or twice a month, doesn't have sugary breakfast cereals or have after school snacks and only has pudding once a week, he has football training 3hrs per week and a match once a week as well as playing football in the garden after school and biking 2km to school and back.

The only thing I can think of that he does have that is unhealthy is the occasional 'prime' drink (once a month if that).

You could be making changes. You are the parent and the one facilitating this.

Stop buying so much rubbish
Hw doesn’t need chocolate before and after dinner
Change everyone’s diets with better meals
Spend time outdoors after school and on the weekend.

It’s all down to you as a parent.

I don't know OP, following to see any suggestions.. I see kids at the school gates that dive straight in to packs of sweets, sausage rolls and Nutella sandwiches and they're slim. My own DC gets a banana if lucky and is overweight, always has been even though as a baby it was 90th centile or whatever.

I read the why we eat too much book and if I remember it placed quite an emphasis on genetics but everywhere else just says diet & exercise. Objectively I think our diet is good and DC rarely sits still but it doesn't seem to matter.

It's hard to eat healthily on a budget. For example 20% fat beef mince is so much cheaper than the 5% fat one. Carbs are a cheap way to fill you up but they make you feel sluggish. I know a family where the dc are always eating sweets and staring at their phones but they aren't overweight (although they have loads of fillings) because they eat good quality meat, more protein than carbs and do expensive sports.