Overweight children help needed

[stormmclean]

I weighed and measured my 7 and 10 year olds today and they are both overweight - the 7 year old by about 3kg and the 10 year old by about 5kg. Both 97th percentile for BMI.

Friends and family all tell me not to worry, they're just a sturdy/stocky build and the worst thing I can do is mention their weight or give them body issues but I do really want to tackle their weight.

We eat fairly healthily, I think it would be easier if we could just cut out biscuits, juice or puddings but they don't really have those things.
They do both have big appetites so I know that volume of food is the issue but I'm struggling with how to cut down without them feeling like I'm putting them on a diet.

Has anyone successfully managed to get their kids to a healthy weight?

That is what is commonly known as a diet, the children dont need to know, all of the advice here about making swaps and cutting portions would be part of what is colloquially known as 'a diet', even though of course everyone has a diet because it simply consists of what we eat

The soup a good idea no idea why that poster was questioning it.

They've found the same food in non soup form is digested faster than in soup form - soup form digestion takes longer and people feel full longer.

Plus you give it as a starter they time for their bodies to start to feel full before they have main meal as you say cutting down on wanting second helpings.

I think you sound very sensible - not going extreme but slow sensible adjustments to diets- the aim with kids isn't for them to lose weight but not put more on and hope their height growth catches up - and they still need more fat that adults as they need more of the fat soluble vitamins than adults.

I've seen many adults struggle with idea being amounts not necessarily what is eaten and portion sizes are so easy to creep up.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-tips-to-reduce-portions#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3

These are tips for adults but soup and salad as starters are on there - we eat on side plates not main plates as well - I was raised in a family who did huge portions and it helps not over feed myself or kids - and seems to have worked with the kids not so much myself or DH.

Yes soup is a good thing, I wish I liked it more

Im surprised at the research about digestion, its almost partly digested by being mushed up isnt it? Isnt that what they say about smoothies that they're not that good for you because its all wizzed up and mushed up and so you dont get the nutritional digestive benefits becuase its digested too fast?

Soup makes you eat slower for sure and the liquid is good at getting fluids in, light on the tummy but filling so a good starter to prevent overreating later.

Theres a bit of research for everything to be honest.

I remember at TV show - with write up after when they gave group of soldiers same meal as meal and as soup and they stayed full longer with soup - so assumed digestion because don't remember reasons in paper though did find it and read it at time.

Why soup? Scientists say texture is key. Although liquids empty from the stomach faster than solids, thicker liquids like soup are different. They actually tend to cause the stomach to expand a bit more, and remain in the stomach longer, so you feel more full, for a longer length of time. And while some research suggests that form doesn’t matter, one study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that smooth soup (think: butternut squash) worked even better than a chunky version (such as chicken noodle) when it came to slowing stomach emptying and boosting satiety. Plus, unlike smoothies, which can be sucked through a straw in mere minutes, soups are generally sipped at a more leisurely pace. And additional research shows that slower eating helps you feel more satisfied and consume fewer calories, often without even trying.

https://time.com/collection/guide-to-weight-loss/4603869/soup-weight-loss/

This seems to suggest it's not digestion that is slower - but slower eating method and stomach expanding that causes the full for longer feel.

I though issue with smoothies was loss of some dietary fiber can easily be high in sugar and are eaten quickly .

I have never heard that they are digested so quickly that nutrients aren't picked up - that sound unlikely given how efficient most bodies tend to be as it's only modern western world were food is always plentiful - but haven't looked into it at all and I'm no expert on digestion.

If they are eating off small side plates and managing to get 2 sausages - are they modern small plates which are the size of our old full size dinner plates ?

If 50g ( which is roughly also what I have) of pasta is 180 calories that's quite a large amount

Say you need 1800 ( 2000 is known to be too high) - that's 1/10th if your calories in one third of one meal ( and if you allow one snack , or have milk in tea or coffee ) that's exactly in proportion

Need to gradually cut whatever you can - make sure the only fruit is apples and oranges ( grapes and bananas sharp add up ) no cheese or other high cal stuff as snacks

Would try and have their dinner after school and no snacks after that even if dad is reheating his dinner

Watch any high calorie stuff like cheese , peanut butter -that should be spread like butter not jam or cheese - I always raise an eye at the idea of a healthy snack of apple chuncks dunked in peanut butter as the calorie content is often quite large ( I love peanut butter )

I might be muddling it up with loss of fibre, that rings a bell

Does that not apply to soup then?

And when does a soup become a stew

And when does a stew become a casserole

Such conundrums

I think the dietary fiber in smoothies and soups isn't "lost" as such just changes/shortened fibers so changes how it moves though digestive track - but many people seem to believe fiber is "lost" with smoothies and this is often cited as a reason not to have them.

The difference between chunky soups and stews is liquid amount - but don't have an exact measure for you.

I think Stew and casserole are often used interchangeably in UK at least - but technically casseroles are covered dishes done in the oven and stews on stove top.

I wasnt being serious about stews vs casseroles, I was reading some recipes last night with some reviewers complaining and aghast that 'this is more like a stew', or 'this is more like a casserole'

And soup just reminded me of it, sorry!!

Well not the greatest breakfast this morning (rice crispies, milk and a banana) and for lunch they've got 1 pitta, with hummus and 1 slice of chicken, a boiled egg, cucumber and cherry tomatoes and a kiwi. And I swapped the 130 cal bag of crisps for an 85 cal dark chocolate covered rice cake.

I mean walking everyday , walking isn’t an everyday activity for some. Lots of families drive everywhere.
No not cut back, but include all the children if possible. Find something active that suits the family, not necessarily swimming twice a week. Just making exercise part of the week .

If your 10 year old isn't fond of organised classes or sports @stormmclean have you considered going out Pokemon hunting or geocaching together? I know a lot of autistic kids his age really enjoy that and don't notice that exercise is involved!

The breakfast and lunch sound fine.

Do your DC consciously know when they're full ? When mine were smaller I got fed up of them saying they were hungry 1/2 hour after lunch or dinner so I would say to them they need to fill up, recognise when they are full then they can have a snack later on.

I would have waited to give them the chocolate rice cake / crisps treat or whatever until a few hours later, when they started feeling hungry again.

I never measure portions or anything as sometimes they don't eat much but other times they'll wolf down 2 bowls of pasta. I'm assuming it's their bodies getting what they need as they're pretty slim.

Also baking treats is a good way to get children to consciously see the sugar amounts in food.

It sounds like you are doing a great job OP and I'm glad you are tackling this now.

I'm reading with interest. My 11 yr old is similar, also autistic and hates activity. I'm also trying to cut down discreetly so no butter, smaller carb portions, soup after school instead of bread etc. There are still a few treats sneaking in so i need to get firmer on this. It's very hard because I can't make him more active. I try incorporating little walks for example for a Saturday activity i park a 10 min walk away pretending the other car park is full, I get him to walk to the shop to buy milk rather than stopping on the way home. Its still not enough though so I need to ramp it up more and I am really finding it hard. The tips here have been helpful

Dontlletmedownbruce Is your DC motivated by money ? If so, how about paying small amounts to do physically strenuous activities, like cleaning the car, raking up the leaves in the garden or reorganising books or toys.

My DH made his parents get a trampoline for when we visit, as they were spending too much time lounging around getting fed their grandmother's treats.

Another idea is a swing ball.
I realise this all takes up money and space so apologies if not possible.

My problem is less weight and physical activities, but reducing sugar intake. There is just so much of it around, I'd love to see a general shift in society for having less available to children.

Breakfast cereal or banana not both

Lunch humours or egg or a slice of chicken

One way to help people to overeat it to give lots of variety

I dont think theres anything wrong with fruit and cereal together, my observation would be that its the wrong cereal and the wrong fruit, so both very carby and both very 'empty' as it were. Rice krispies wouldnt fill a flea up, theyre just empty.

Porridge with prunes or dates and full fat milk would be more substantial

I dont know, they'll probably have a growth spurt at some point & slim down. Their diet sounds pretty good.

I agree with those who’ve pointed out peanut butter could be a factor, it’s very high calorie. 2 tablespoons of peanut butter is nearly 200 calories so literally more than most packets of crisps.

Also agree that it’s likely portion size that is the issue, especially with evening meals. We eat a lot of the same meals as you OP like spag bol, curry, chilli, and I can tell you that any of those meals can be either 300 cal per serving or 1000 cal per serving. My portion is around 500 cals typically, my husband’s portion is closer to 1000- it’s easily done. You can have the healthiest meals imaginable but if your portion sizes are too big then you will still gain weight.

Hmm though as many have advised I was substituting carbs for protein with the lunch.

Using Tesco measures
Pitta - 145 cal
Slice of roast chicken breast - 55 cal
Hummus (25g) - 52 cal
Boiled egg - 77 cal
Cucumber - 8 cal
Tomatoes - 18 cal
Kiwi - 61 cal

So roughly 416 calories for lunch without the treat. Plus the rice cake is 501.

I started working that out in order to disagree with @midgetastic as it didn't sound like much, but in fact she's right, that's quite a high total - although I would probably leave out the rice cake rather than the chicken and hummus which are better options for filling them up and protein.

Portion size is an absolute sod, I'm trying to recalibrate mine after many years of oversized portions. I'd be surprised if the rice crispies were a single portion as that's a sorrowfully small amount. Assuming they each had a 60g serving with semi skimmed milk as well as the banana, that's 354 for the cereal and 90 for the banana - 444 for breakfast.

If that's about right then by dinner time they've had roughly 945 calories, which leaves 600 or so for a healthy dinner. Which is fine as long as dinner is a sensible portion AND they haven't seen the grandparents AND they didn't have a snack when they got in from school.

I'd start by making a note of everything they are actually eating. It's very unlikely they have become overweight on the diet you are describing.

Most people drastically underestimate what they are eating. What are they snacking on between meals for example. How occasionally are the occasional treats. I think that will probably reveal the problem & then try to limit that rather than reduce healthy meal portions.

Please don't be obsessively calorie counting for children. Rather make more of an effort to give them foods that are more filling/can be bulked up. We didn't count any calories for DS but we did make sure that his plate was filled with a much higher volume of lower calorie, nutrient-dense, food.

If they had a pitta they had carbs and sone extra protein for lunch

Children should have carbs, no need to cut it out

As a child I was in my teens before I would have two rounds of butties for my pack up

Also it a ok to feel hungry , and we really need tp learn to experience small amounts of hunger as that's normal , we get fat if we eat enough to ensure we never feel a bit hungry - differentiate between peckish and hungry