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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be really annoyed with the NHS for their BMI checker?

163 replies

kw1986 · 10/05/2011 19:19

Now I know my 3yo DD is healthy so I was just checking out of curiosity to see what her BMI was. Shes 3ft 3in and weighs 3st 1lb... Put all the details in and up it pops saying she is OBESE purely because she's in the 99th percentile!! Since when the fuck does that make you obese???

If I work out her actual BMI number it's 19.4 which falls into the normal range (lower normal actually)

Now what if some parent who doesn't know this is a pile of shit actually thinks their child is obese and starts cutting down on food etc? Its made me quite irrationally angry really. They are the NHS for petes sake, surely they should know better. (Prob doesnt help for the entire first year of DD's life I had a stupid HV that kept telling me DD was too heavy despite being on the same percentile for her weight AND height, and also her head circ.)

AIBU to be so annoyed right now?

www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx

OP posts:
TattyDevine · 10/05/2011 21:22

My son is 20kg and his height, which I can't remember, but is well over a meter, make him a centile thingy of about 97th which came out as "overweight"on the NHS thing for his age.

I took him to the doctor and he said he's perfect because of the height and weight being in proportion.

What was swaying it was the age factor - call him a 5 year old and it comes out at 75th percentile or something and spot on whereas change the age to 3 (keeping height and weight identical) and its overweight. So you get penalised for getting there early, even if the height is there too.

Bizarre.

Doc said he was perfect, lean, muscular (for a 3 year old!) and fit as a fiddle.

If you are unsure, take her to your GP.

TattyDevine · 10/05/2011 21:24

He's 3 and a half by the way, nearly 4 actually if that's relevant.

He's got ribs and spine bones and knobby knees and all that malarky. But very wide stocky shoulders, he has the sort of body builder type shape from the back, he'd got a v-taper!

thatwasntverycleverwasit · 10/05/2011 21:29

Ah. This is where I have to own up and admit I guessed her height! I think she is about 2ft 10inches so that's what I put in. I will measure her tomorrow. All this has got me paranoid! I am going to have a very hard look at her in the morning to reassure myself. I am always being told she is tall for her age so I guess she might be a bit taller.

microfight · 10/05/2011 21:31

Wow that's heavy! My 3 year old weighs 28lbs or roughly 13kgs and is average height and looks average weight. She also has strong muscle build. I think you should see you health advisor.

Original poster
kw1986 · 10/05/2011 21:32

Yes I am very very stupid to be human and misunderstand how the child's BMI works. How awful of me!

Seriously though, for everyone who seems to think I have a heffer of a daughter. She really isnt fat. She has chubby cheeks and quite a large head unfortunately. But I cant pinch any fat on her belly, just a wee bit of skin. Her bum and her thighs do have a weeee bit of meat on them but she is half black so she could end up with a booty regardless of how skinny she could be everywhere else. She's VERY active and literally doesn't stop all day and has a very healthy diet as we are vegetarian so I put a lot of thought into her diet to make sure she gets everything she needs.

As for clothes, alot of her trousers are 4-5 now as she needs them for length but they tend to fall down a bit as they are too big on her waist. My DD just seems to be quite a solid build.

OP posts:
Original poster
kw1986 · 10/05/2011 21:36

Should add, like TattyDevine, I can also see my DD's ribs quite clearly as well as her spine (and quite often her hip bones depending on the time of day and when she last ate etc.)

OP posts:
mamasmissionimpossible · 10/05/2011 21:46

I just had my dd (3.4yrs) weighed by the HV today. She is 18kg and 1m tall. I was told she is on the 75 centile and that she is in proportion, and is following the same weight/height pattern she did as a baby. I'm not sure if I should be concerned now, reading this thread. I was told to up her exercise and reduce the amount she eats. (yes I know that!) However, she is always hungry and asking for food. Is anyone else's 3 year old like that?

Mahraih · 10/05/2011 21:46

she is half black so she could end up with a booty regardless of how skinny she could be everywhere else.

Seriously? No 3-year old child should have even the beginnings of a 'booty'! I am mixed race and grew up with a lot of mixed-race friends. None of us had a booty.

[shaking head emoticon]

Original poster
kw1986 · 10/05/2011 21:50

Mahraih Well good for you. But I also know quite a few little girls who are mixed race and most of them do have wee bums on them. So should I start shaking my head at you too now then?

OP posts:
worraliberty · 10/05/2011 21:53

You should be able to see her ribs, spine and hip bones no matter what the time of day and when she last ate.

To suggest you can no longer see them because she's just eaten, does sound as though she's overweight OP.

Original poster
kw1986 · 10/05/2011 21:56

Well I can see her ribs and spine regardless. Her hips dont disappear as such, but after shes eaten she has a little pot belly which makes her hips less defined looking. I can still feel them right under the skin though.

OP posts:
CaptainBarnacles · 10/05/2011 21:56

I don't think trousers falling down is a good indication of anything. The waists on most kids' trousers are HUGE.

NulliusInVerba · 10/05/2011 22:10

I feel a little sorry for OP actually, she must be Blush

To be fair to her, when all weve had shoved down our throats is "you must be between 20 - 25 to be healthy" For the past few years she perhaps didnt realise that is not the same for children.

On the other hand, it would be a good idea to take a look at the childs diet, and perhaps see the GP.

I must admit I point blank refused to let them weigh my child at school, I dont trust what they are using the data for and I think its very unhealthy to get children, especially girls so fascinated with weight at young ages.

I know my child is healthy. Unless a child is clearly overweight I believe it should be left alone as whos to say the next growth spurt wont balance them out? I particularly hate their new idea of weighing girls, at school, in y6. Just when many of them are working their way through puberty, and therefore changing shape, and more concious of their bodies.

TattyDevine · 10/05/2011 22:13

I know that ethnicity does impact the accuracy of BMI - there's a lot of stuff written on it, even a disclaimer on the NHS website.

CFAW · 10/05/2011 22:13

My ds is 4 he is 4ft1 and weighs 3stone. He has been the same weight since he was three and a half. No diet changes he just stopped being a baby.

I don't believe in the bmi chart as anything but a rough guide, My husband is 6ft 5 and is supposed to weigh 12 stone! i have seen him at 12 stone and he really is not supposed to only weigh that!

NeverSayPie · 10/05/2011 22:21

I think you read it wrong CFAW, I've just checked and a weight of up to 15 stone is within normal and healthy BMI at 6ft 5.

Which is why you shouldn't be slagging the BMI when you clearly don't understand it.

magicmelons · 10/05/2011 22:22

YABU

The BMI is just a general tool and should be used for guidance, a good clinician uses their clinical judgement for example my dh is a professional athlete his bmi puts him in the clinically obese category because of muscle mass but he has regular fitness checks and has a low body fat, no GP would tell him he was obese just because of his weight.

Your dd however is heavier than my 6 year old and the same weight as her 7 year old cousin, we weighed them today. Children do not have heavy bones or huge muscle mass so the weight is not ideal for her age. Its up to you whether you are concerned about it or not but you can't blame the NHS or BMI.

A healthy child should have visible ribs, sounds too skinny but is perfectly healthy.

oldraver · 10/05/2011 22:24

Well I've used that calculator and put in the year as 06 and it jumps to 6 then gives my sons age as 96 and it is saying he is born in 1906 Grin

CFAW · 10/05/2011 22:24

Well the doctor charted him and said he should be 12 stone ta, so its the doc's that don't understand it either!!!!

Thornykate · 10/05/2011 22:25

I know that in some cultures a 'booty' is desirable but there are a lot of slim black women out there too so its not a given.

My daughter will be mixed race too & I will be surprised if she is overweight as the other DCs aren't.

CFAW · 10/05/2011 22:30

Oh by the way i just looked and its between 12- 13.5. While we are on the subject of understanding........Hmm

CFAW · 10/05/2011 22:32

www.caloriecounting.co.uk/resources/charts/ideal.htm

Was that a sorry Neversaypie ?

NeverSayPie · 10/05/2011 22:33

actually its not. Healthy BMI has a wider range than that, up to 24.9. Which equates exactly to 15 stone.

So take your Hmm back and look again.

TrillianAstra · 10/05/2011 22:35

www.bbc.co.uk/health/tools/bmi_calculator/bmi.shtml

12 up to 15 stone if you are 6ft 5.

And it's not that you will be healthy at all these weights. It isdefinitely not that you should aim for the bottom end of the range. It's that on average, for most people, it's only outside of these weigts that doctors will be concerned.

NeverSayPie · 10/05/2011 22:35

Perhaps try an actual reputable one like the NHS and not "calorie counting.whatev"

Was that a Blush CFAW?

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