Overweight 9 year old

[Juiceey]

Hi MNers. Please don't flame me, I'm looking for help and advice not criticism.

DS (almost 10) is overweight. He is not an active child at all and hates being outside, always wanting to be indoors on electronics or drawing etc. We have to drag him out for walks or bike rides and he usually complains the whole time.

He was playing with friends having a water fight this afternoon (from within his bubble at school, in a park) and they all had their tops off and I felt just awful seeing him compared to them. I knew it was getting bad as he wears 12-13 clothes but seeing him topless with his rolls and huge boobs made me so sad.

I too am overweight but on Slimming World so we all eat SW friendly meals. He has one 'treat' a day and we argue about this incessantly as he always wants more.

I don't know what to do. I am so sad for him. I don't want him to be 'the fat one' or get bullied at secondary.

I think you should get him more active instead of making food a battle. That's way more important I think apart from reducing a lot of sugar if you can. If he's inside and inactive then his metabolism will just slow down to nothing. I have a 12 year old who wasn't v sporty but he sets his own goals. Buy them all cheap fit bits, set goals for steps. Start explaining again about fitness and health and exercise goals.
My friend has an 11 year old who hates sport, stays inside, was fat etc. She told him all about her latest diet, now he's lost weight but is weighing every single thing he eats and getting upset if he thinks he's gone over his calorie allowance. So she's pretty much managed to give him a lifetime of disordered eating.
I say all this as a fat person who has to strive every day to stay in the normal zone. It's shit.

I would agree with PP. he sounds extremely fussy. Honestly, you know what I would do? Request to speak with the school nurse linked to his school. They will be able to advise you.