Overweight children

[netherlee]

My OH owns a small clothes shop that has lots of childrens stuff (schoolwear, brownie/cub, sports, fashion clothes etc.). He said recently he is rather irked at the number of parents who comment that they have to buy larger sizes (eg age 9-10 for a 7 year old). Sites like M&S are similarly strewn with such comments. The sizes are all in line with average sizes of children or slightly bigger, but of course he doesn't retort that the real problem is the child is overweight. He has also had at least one child needing a smaller size because they are very healthy (usually a very sporty child who is careful with what they eat). Its a lose lose.

So are we BU to think parents should just watch childrens health a little more rather than moan to shop staff just doing their job?

[bangwhizz]

Where are you shopping 3monkeys? The girls trousers I see are shped differetly to boys.More 'hippy'

[3monkeys]

There are overweight /obese children and I worry about my Dd's weight. But I don't think she would ever fit into age 11 trousers because they ARE designed for straight up and down girls, and she is shapely. Losing weight won't change that and,as I've said, she couldn't do any more exercise! We have to accept that some people are bigger than others. That has always been the case, and that does not include truly overweight or obese children.

Interestingly if she was a boy, I don't think anyone would think she was too big

[Bunbaker]

Why do children's clothes manufactures always assume that children are very tall and skinny?

But they don't. My experience is that they cater for the "average" child, which just happens to be a lot wider than my daughter.

[domesticgodless]

There is simply no need to be nasty to or about any child, fat or thin.

If anyone had a go at my ds for being a bit on the chubby side I'd feel like decking them.

Concern about rising obesity does not justify sneering, competitiveness ('I am a responsible parent cos my kids are thin, you're not' etc) and pettiness. Not that I'm saying that appears on this thread really but it sure does elsewhere.

[Sirzy]

Why do children's clothes manufactures always assume that children are very tall and skinny?

I don't think they do, actually in my experience most clothes are too big for my slightly skinny DS. I think that if a child needs to go up a size to fit around the waist then that should in most cases be enough to make parents stop and think if there is something which needs changing for the child's sake

[IfNotNowThenWhen]

I don't think anyone is being "nasty" about overweight children. Some of us are pointing out that, yes, children are getting bigger, many, many children are overweight, and that, on the whole, parents seem to be just a bit oblivious/in denial about it, which doesn't do kids any favours in the long run.
If an eight year old is overweight, it is not really the child's fault, is it?
I have said I was prone to being overweight as a child (due not to hormones, or a glandular problem, just simple love of food in large amounts) and my parents saw this, and nipped it in the bud.
Saying "oh, my ds just has big bones, and anyway, look at all the other big boned children in his class" is actually harming children because the longer this goes on, the fatter children will get, and this is just not a healthy way to be.

[Omnishambolic]

My daughter is 75th centile on height and weight, so she must be perfectly normal for her age. I never buy clothes for the "year" she's in - you know children are going to grow, you buy the biggest you can get them in without looking daft, even if they fit into smaller sizes. Only time I've ever bought what fitted her best that day was a bridesmaid's dress.

[FlumpsRule]

I am short but have two children who have had to wear clothes 2-3 years above their age for years to get the right length. My daughter has shape & therefore wears adult clothes at age of 12 because children's clothes assume she'll still be stick-like or under 5'4. I had to buy age 16 school skirt for her ( in m&s) for year 6 as the smaller ones were indecently short imo. My son's trousers all gape around the waist and shirt sleeves are rarely long enough. They're both fit & healthy so I've given up worrying about labels.

[bangwhizz]

'These childhood obesity threads piss me off. I know people like to judge others to make them feel better about themselves but can't you just stick to being nasty about someone your own age? '

..and it is exactly that sort of attitude that makes parents think that a 10 or 11 yr old in size 12 womans clothes is fine.It isn't.

[Longtalljosie]

Mrslouistheroux size 10/12 for a 10 year old is way too hefty

Well that depends if they're in that size for the width or the height, doesn't it?

These childhood obesity threads piss me off. I know people like to judge others to make them feel better about themselves but can't you just stick to being nasty about someone your own age?

[DebbieLovesDallas]

*manufacturers

[DebbieLovesDallas]

My dd1 is (almost) 10, she is in a size 12-13 in most shops, and in others I have to get an adult size 10. She is overweight, but her hormones are raging atm. She's developing breasts and I'm fairly certain she'll start her periods soon. She actually eats a very healthy diet and is quiet sporty. I'm not worried, DSD was exactly the same at that age and by the time she was 11 she'd lost all the puppy fat, she's now a size 10, 20 year old. Funnily enough, even when she does try on age appropriate clothes so 9-10 they're always far too long, I'm talking trousers being about 3-4 inches too long in the leg. Why? She's not small, quite average height really, she's the same size as most of the other girls in her class.

In contrast my dd2 is 6 and wears size 4-5 clothes. She's absolutely tiny in both height and weight. The age appropriate clothes for her are ridiculous! They wouldn't fit her for another 3-4 years. She has a terrible diet, she doesn't like anything healthy, stick a slab of chocolate in front of her and she could finish it in 10 seconds.

Why do children's clothes manufactures always assume that children are very tall and skinny?

[Helltotheno]

Mrslouistheroux size 10/12 for a 10 year old is way too hefty

No actually, one of my DD's friends fits exactly the same specs, and to look at her, you'd think she was 13/14/15. She's very tall and a little developed but not fat. Some kids develop at an astonishing rate early and it evens out later.

[bangwhizz]

Mrslouistheroux size 10/12 for a 10 year old is way too hefty

[IfNotNowThenWhen]

I totally agree about non-competitive sporting activities.
Our leisure centre is literally crumbling. There are holiday sports activities, but they are privately run and really expensive. Youth clubs are closing too, and they are a good way of letting kids run around and blow off steam in a healthy way.

[rubyredbeau]

This is crazy my ds is 9 and is in age 12-13 and I can see all his ribs due his love his sport! Not all children in a bigger size are due to waist size. Infact I have to buy adjusted trousers so they are not down at his ankles

[ChoudeBruxelles]

DS is 6 - he wears 9-10 year old tops and 8-9 trousers. He's just very tall.

[domesticgodless]

HI Bunbaker. Yeah I heard about it all and not only in Sheffield. It's appalling.

Austerity is targeting all the services ordinary people need to access for health.

Then the poorer of society who no longer have anywhere to exercise (especially children, who can hardly be sent to jog around the streets for an hour) will be told it's all the fault of Bad Parenting and it's their fault they are going to die early.

Then once there is no free health care any more the death rate will really start to rise I think. In my most cynical moments I wonder if the guys at the top have foreseen all that and really don't give a sh** cos who needs the underclass anyway?

[Helltotheno]

That's a disgrace it really is.

[Bunbaker]

"I'm researching childhood obesity policy in the UK right now for work"

I suggest you google for leisure centre closures in the Sheffield area and surrounding environs then. It is a hot topic round here right now.

[domesticgodless]

@bunbaker. That is joined up anti-obesity policy for you.

I'm researching childhood obesity policy in the UK right now for work, and a bigger load of empty verbiage you could not hire a monkey and typewriter to churn out.

Jamie Oliver's right, the government could not give two hoots if the children of the land ate supersize mcdonalds 3 times a day. They even made MacDonalds (and some other geniuses of public health such as Diageo the booze suppliers) draft the public health white paper. Because the people who helped create the obesity epidemic are clearly the experts in reducing obesity...You really have to laugh. :/

[Bunbaker]

"Teenagers, and probably more girls than guys, need more general sports clubs (activities like circuits, aqua aerobics, running, fun team sports etc) not geared towards competition."

Unfortunately we are facing closure of several leisure centres and sports stadiums where we live.

[Helltotheno]

While I don't agree with all your points Startail, I think you're absolutely right about comp v non-comp sport and I find it in relation to everything, not just sport. So basically, now that my kids have the rudiments of swimming for example, they have a choice of joining a highly competitive club and it taking over their lives, or me kicking their butts down to the pool once a week and making them do 30 laps (both equally unfeasible).

Teenagers, and probably more girls than guys, need more general sports clubs (activities like circuits, aqua aerobics, running, fun team sports etc) not geared towards competition.

Nowadays, there is definitely too much eating of junk and too little exercise. Without going into the whys and wherefores, nobody can honestly say that's a better thing than what was there before.

And regarding the OP, it's quite simple: people are bigger. What used to be a size 12/14 for a normal woman is now sold as a 10 or whatever. The waistlines of kids' clothes are undoubtedly much bigger and without making any comment for or against that, I'm pretty hacked off with trying to get waists to fit my thin-waisted but imo average sized 11 year old DS without having to deal with this ridiculous elasticated waist crap and go three ages down to get something where each ruddy leg doesn't fit two of his. Stores, please just provide a variety of clothes measurements to fit all shapes thanks!

[sausagebaconandtomatobutty]

My dd wears clothes ranging from 10-14 year old

She's 11 and 5ft 3 with size 5 feet

Mil told her she must be fat because she wears bigger clothes

I do despair sometimes!

[domesticgodless]

you just have to not buy it :D cheap and effective!1