Childhood obesity

I think lots of people have lost sight of what is a reasonable amount of food. I work in a school and many children now have a lunchbox full of ‘healthy’ snacks for break time (I.e. cheese strings, sugary Frubes, a biscuit, fruit, pretzels) and they sit and graze on it all break, barely moving. They then have lunch an hour and a half later (and the provided school dinners at my school would make Jamie Oliver weep), followed by a parent waiting with a snack at the gates at home time. Some parents seem scared to let their child get hungry.

I’m not sure why, but I’ve noticed that children definitely seem more obsessed with snacks and extra food than they were when I started teaching 15 years ago. They talk a lot about the treat and snack foods they’re having/had at the weekend, with almost an obsession. I’m always slightly surprised by what the children say they’ve had (I.e. We had a movie night on Friday and as a treat we had popcorn and Pringles and Malteasers AND Ben and Jerry’s).

To answer your question, OP, you say The only things we are strict on are no fizzy drinks,
I think this might be why your child is slim. I think in areas of deprivation kids consume a lot of fizzy drinks and sweetened drinks and from a very early age.

Maybe try and find him a hobby such as a club? My boy was getting the same way so last September we got him in to Karate. He really likes it and its helping with his weight. Its a good way for them to meet other kids too.

A huge problem is that people think children can only eat rubbish. People routinely feed children nuggets, waffles, fish fingers abd pizza. They assume children won't eat salmon, spaghetti, stir fry etc.

Children don't get exposed to enough tastes and texture early on so become fussy.

Pub menus are awful. Its the "and chips" menu for children.

Screens are hugely overused.

A lot of adults are inactive, so they bring their children up inactive. They think the only way to exercise is to enroll them in football or something rather than walking, gardening etc.

My dc have ADHD and are underweight. Pediatricians gave up on it because it became obvious they just don't want to hang around to eat. They'll eat two mouthfuls and want to leave the table. We have some success if they are allowed to stand at the table. I can't understand it as I love food!

You're failing your son here. You need to make changes as he could have a lifetime of damaged due to this.

For context, my family has become quite sporty, we eat well, and we all have a healthy BMI.

I think we've allowed modern infrastructure to ruin our health.

The best exercise for your health is incidental (ie walking / riding to school / work ) but we've made that almost impossible.

We allow food companies to spend billions of dollars on poorly regulated advertising (in order to increase purchases) but expect individuals to make good choices.

We have allowed housing to become unaffordable, and then wonder why people are too busy working to have time to exercise or cook.

People have a real uphill battle these days.

I’m a single parent, was morbidly obese, have since lost a lot of weight on Mounjaro, but I have struggled with weight & eating disorders my entire life. I have always tried very hard not to categorise food as good or bad because of this - my DS is naturally slim like father. And he eats so much food both good and bad! He’s 15, now starting to fill out / broaden a wee bit with puberty but still very slim.

But he has something chocolate after every dinner and also when he gets in from school.

That's ridiculous.

It’s not just about the size of someone, poor diet and/or lack of exercise will be doing mountains of damage, cancers, other illnesses and diseases far more likely- are you happy with that for your own child? You seem to be, with how you talk about it op. So much value on his education which will help him in absolutely no way at all if his body and brain doesn’t or can’t work properly due to poor fuelling.
he’s not any healthier than a fat kid, and you’re to blame.

Childhood obesity is usually blamed on the poor people due to lack of education and money to buy “proper food” not all poor people are uneducated. Plenty of middle class people who are obese. I also disagree that healthy food is expensive. Fruit and veg is cheap and you can get meat such as chicken and beef which isn’t going to cost you loads. Plenty of poor people coped before our generation, made homemade hearty meals and weren’t fat. I agree that it’s lack of exercise and movement that is also causing issues. Driving ten mins for the school run or shop is lazy. Not many people are active these days. UPF and fast food are another issue. We have become to reliant on them. Yes we can treats but that means once a week not after every meal.

I know this isn’t the point of your post, but two obese kids I knew both turned out to have ADHD. They lack impulse control apparently.

It'll be the amount eaten and also genetics.
Being slim doesn't mean being healthy.

In many places you can McDonald’s delivered to your door.

Lots of children have a pudding after dinner every single day. I remember a few of us being jealous when a friend would get pudding every Sunday! It was a lot more random.

When I was a child, if I had done well on my spelling test I would be allowed to pick a chocolate bar or sweet from the shop on the way home. I see children popping in every day for their after school snack.

Kids get driven to and from school when it’s only a 20 min walk or less.

Snacking is definitely an issue. I just don't buy snacks, initially because it just wasn't something I grew up with myself. I was primarily raised by my grandparents & I don't think their genration had the habit. There's a fruit bowl in our house and that's it. So my two (10 & 13 now) just aren't in the habit. But their friends who come over are constantly on the hunt for snacks, to the point I feel a bit mean (I probably am 😬). We do do dessert - small portions - but that's it really. I was chatting to a friend recently who was complaining about her 9yo DS constantly snacking on crisps & chocolate bars & then not eating well at mealtimes. I suggested just not buying the snacks & she looked at me like I came from outer space 😆

There are also lots of opportunities in the school day where the kids are encouraged to try and run the mile during gaps in lessons. This seems to make a massive difference to me!

I'm sorry but this 'run the mile' thing really depresses me. If schools invested in interesting, active play environments, and allowed children to engage in active , more risky play, kids would be more naturally active through play the way they are evolved to, and more of their bodies would be challenged and engaged than just running does too. And more of their brains and social skills. Then we wouldn't need ' run the mile' initiatives.

I think weight is so much about portion sizes. So he might be eating the correct portion sizes for him.

Also you don’t mention but you might be cooking a decent dinner. Pasta and tomato sauce and a decent home cooked dinner isn’t the worst diet. Some kids are literally living on food with trans fats and artificial sweeteners, little fibre and protein and together these seem to mess up your stomach bacteria and mess with your hunger signals.

Has he has difficulty learning to ride a bike?

But you don’t get fat from cheap cuts of meat. You get fat from sweets, crisps, other junk and large portions.

My DS2's school is very similar, absent the visiting PE teacher. You can count the number of obese children on one hand.

Interestingly, we're in Cornwall, which is one of the poorest counties in the UK. Our village isn't particularly poor, but I wouldn't say levels of obesity in the more deprived areas are that high either (I used to work in a secondary school in one of the legendarily bad areas, where you would sometimes have kids coming into school with literal malnutrition).

I think it's that we do have easily accessible countryside and the coast here, combined with limited indoor attractions. I think the proportion of families and kids that get outside for regular exercise (even just a simple walk) is much higher than the average.

In addition, there isn't the access to fast food that there is in many British towns and cities. There isn't a fried chicken shop on every corner (Although there are pasties everywhere of course 😆).

Genetics and individual make up have always been a thing.

Childhood obesity crisis', not so much.

My eldest in Year 3 does:

Monday- a whole afternoon of games
Tuesday- matches in the afternoon and a sports club after school for an hour
Wednesday- forest school in the afternoon after art and music which are in completely different areas of the school so more walking.
Thursday- sports club at lunch and after school.
Friday- whole afternoon of PE.

She then does gymnastics for 2 hours on a Monday, Netball on a Wednesday, Cricket on a Sunday, and in season, hockey on a Saturday.

At least 80% of her peers are doing the same.

Genetics and individual make up has so much to do with it.

I have five kids. ALL were extremely skinny as children. Now they are adult, one is still so skinny that he's had medical investigations to check on why (he's 5 foot 11 and weighs around eight stone). He's fine, apparently, just thin. Then two of my girls are slim, they put on weight but not easily and stay reasonably shaped without having to watch their diets too much, my eldest DD is overweight bordering on obese, has underactive thyroid and other health difficulties, but as a child was so underweight that doctors were involved with her. Remaining DS is a little bit on the chunky side but still within a healthy weight (just), but does loads of exercise.

They obviously all grew up eating the same meals. Neither their DF nor I are overweight (although I, post menopause, have to watch my diet like a particularly well-focussed hawk). So trying to extrapolate adult weight and size from the shape of the child doesn't really mean anything.

My DD’s primary school is interesting in that few kids walk (small village state school). I would say generally the food isn’t the middle class healthy stuff, many more unhealthy snacks than I’d be personally comfortable with. There are very few overweight children and obviously being small the school doesn’t have massive green areas although does have a small running track.

What it does have though is a specialist PE teacher who comes in and it really seems to be good PE. There are also lots of opportunities in the school day where the kids are encouraged to try and run the mile during gaps in lessons. This seems to make a massive difference to me!

I didn’t miss your point. I got it. I just don’t understand your attitude to your child’s health, why seems indifferent at best.

It's what you eat plus genes. Rich or poor.

Until recently overweight people would deny that they ate too much or the wrong food and say that no matter how much they dieted they couldn't lose weight.
Now they all have weight loss jabs which stop them eating and hey presto they lose weight.