Can a toddler (under 2) be overweight?

[TeddyTonks]

Not sure if I am being silly here but weighed DD at the weekend and she is 2 stone (not deliberately, she just stepped on the scales herself at her Granny's house). She has always been a chunky little thing and I'm wondering when I need to start worrying about her weight? She's 21 months so that weight puts her between the 91st and 98th centile.

She eats relatively healthy (though does have the occasional treat alongside her elder brother) and is a normal active kid, goes to nursery, plays out in the garden, will walk a mile+ on days out etc, prefers walking to the buggy.

My gut feel is it's early days to be worrying and she will even out in the end, but I don't want to set her up for a lifetime of weight worries if I should be addressing this now?

My 2 year old ds has been about 2 stone now for 6 months or so, as hes grows taller he's evening out if you know what I mean. He's always been a tall and solid little boy. I'm personally not to worried as he's tall for his age as well. So he'll even out in the end.

Yes, this is what I'm thinking- that's she'll probably stay 2 stone for a good while. My DS (nearly 5) is only 3 stone so was a bit of a shock to see DD was 2

Sounds OK to me. (For people not familiar with old-fashioned UK weights 2 stones would be 12.7kg).

I wonder what charts you're looking at as well. Our daughter was 2 last week and weighed 14kg yesterday, she has always been above average for both height and weight but was never in the 90th percentile for anything.

It's the charts in the red book...

I should add, our daughter has been 13-14kg for aaages....has to be at least six months, so i tend to agree with the above posts suggesting it evens out. She's gradually getting taller and thinner but still has a huge belly.

Here we go:

If she eats healthily and is active then I’m sure she’s fine. Have you measured and plotted her height to see how that compares? If she’s also tall then that would easily explain it!

@TeddyTonks

It's the charts in the red book...

We have the German version (because we live in Germany). Seems they may be geared towards heavier babies here?

Have you measured her height as well? I'm pretty sure my DS was 2 stone before 18 months but he's on the same centile for height as well so no concerns. I think it can be a concern if the centiles are very different.

@TeddyTonks

Here we go:

I'll get back to you when i've had the chance to check ours. Also maybe don't take one weight as gospel. We randomly had a 1kg weight gain...GF was worried so weighed our daughter every day for a week and she lost it again after a couple of days.

@TheWhalrus how odd! I tried to post a pic but it didn't work. I'm pretty sure I've plotted it correctly (would be embarrassing if not, got a degree in economics and I'm a chartered accountant so should be vaguely numerically literate 😂).

Oh it did work 🙈

The big question is how tall she is. My (just) 5 year old only weighs a few pounds more than yours (2 stone 5) but she’s only small (about 20th centile). As long as as she has a good diet and is active, it’s probably nothing to worry about.

Hmmm, maybe I'll measure her height as well. I wouldn't expect her to be super tall as DH and I are v average. I had read that even if in proportion a high weight can be an issue anyway...

Drs in the UK seem obsessed with weight and generic, out-dated charts containing averages. Yes, a 2 year old can be overweight, but I wouldn't have thought 12kg is overweight at that age, though I would hope a Dr would take into account her height and that of her parents and whether she eats healthy, well balanced meals. (Lighter than my kid at that age - who was born on the 98th percentile and has stayed that.) Don't put much weight in what it says in the red book, but do take your child to a paediatrician if you're concerned about their health.

It will be measured at her 27 month review but if you are concerned before that give your health visitor a shout. My friend is a foster carer and the little girl in her care is around the same age and quite visibly overweight. Due to the difficult circumstances the birth family are 'blaming' the foster carer but I have seen how strict my friend is, the child receives plenty healthy fresh food and only minimal treats are offered when we are out and about and other kids are all having (so she will get a biscuit at toddlers like the other kids). Id imagine there is some sort of genetic component as my friend is very slender as her her grown daughters.

It was picked up at her 27 month review and she is under the care of the dietician now but pretty much watch and wait approach and be careful around what foods are available in the house.

While a 2 year old can be overweight, yes, I would not be concerned at this age unless she was absolutely massive AND/OR she was living on crisps, chocolate and ice cream. Also, as with others, height to weight ratio is important too. And they definitely change a lot at this age.

DS, was genuinely over weight at a much older age and when I discussed with the doctor when he was 6, her advice was that it was too young to do anything except, obviously, ensure that he was getting a healthy, varied diet. 5 years later, he's not overweight although we did have to do some work on that when he was old enough. DD, also overweight, saw a doctor the other day and I referenced food concerns (she's a picky eater, making a varied diet tricky) and again, doctor did not pick up or follow up on it, I assume on basis that DD is still quite young.

I know you may have just mistyped, but you said she was 21 months and you’ve plotted 20 months… that’d put her marginally under the 91st centipede.

Sorry- she's 20 months-typo!

This is useful as it’s easier to plot than the red book. It says she’s ok the 91st centile.
www.omnicalculator.com/health/child-weight-percentile

@TeddyTonks: looks like the German charts are slightly more generous. 12.7kg at 20-21 months would put your little un between the 75th and 90th percentile in Germany (2nd and 3rd lines from the top, sorry for my bad photo). Turns out our DD was in fact very heavy at one point, although we were told this probably reflects breast feeding - apparently some breast-fed babies are way above-the-percentiles heavy at that stage.

This time with attachment (hopefully)

That's interesting Whalrus, even without the attachment 😂 DD was breastfed as well (though I've stopped now). She was born between the 25th and 50th centiles, shot up to approx the 97th-ish and has stayed there since.

Interestingly the CDC charts in the US are also more generous. Stand practice there is now to use the WHO charts until 2, then switch to the CDC where you inevitably find your child tumbles down the percentiles. My DD is 45th percentile with the NHS but 35th with the CDC.

My Ds is actually off the chart for his weight, but he is in the 90s for height, and also stayed to the exact pound's weight for three months over the summer. He had his 27 month check and the hv wasn't worried at all, because she could tell he was active.