Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To be shocked at how many overweight kids there are here?

956 replies

glasgowsfinest · 29/08/2017 18:18

Have got my fireproof hat in place, here goes...! I'm currently at a Butlin's-type holiday park on the south coast. As you can imagine, it's jammed full of kids of all ages. I'm genuinely shocked at how many of them, from pre-schoolers to older teens, are significantly overweight. I don't think puppy fat can be used as an excuse for all of them. Thinking back to my childhood, overweight kids were the exception, not the rule, but now it seems the opposite. I have two children who by no means have a perfect diet, and eat more chocolate and watch more TV than I thought I'd allow, but they're active too and don't seen to have any fat on them at all! Maybe they're just "lucky", I don't know. But the sheer numbers of chunky kids made me feel quite sad.

OP posts:
mistontheriver · 29/08/2017 18:19

YANBU.

I was behind a shockingly overweight girl yesterday in a queue.

Notreallyarsed · 29/08/2017 18:19

Chunky? Really? Hmm

ILoveMillhousesDad · 29/08/2017 18:20

Ahh, sorry the chunky kids are ruining your family holiday.

splendide · 29/08/2017 18:20

Obesity is falling in children overall but rising in lower income groups so you're probably being unreasonable to be shocked yes.

MrsBobDylan · 29/08/2017 18:22

I laughed at the 'my kids don't seem to have any fat on them at all!' bit. Did you emit a tinkly little laugh as you wrote that op?

SweetLuck · 29/08/2017 18:22

I think it depends how 'classy' a place you're in. I live in a v classy town and hardly any of the kids are overweight. There's maybe one fat kid at my DDs school and that's it.

Newtssuitcase · 29/08/2017 18:23

DH and I were commenting (privately to one another) just the other day on the increasing number of children who are overweight at the DSs school. These are children we've known since reception and they are now 11/12/13ish. It is sad.

Ummmmgogo · 29/08/2017 18:25

yanbu. it's a disgrace and future generations will judge us harshly for what we have done to our children.

FartSmeller · 29/08/2017 18:25

I agree with it being the children from poor backgrounds that seem to be worse off. It's heartbreaking to see but I'm not sure what the answer is.

Newtssuitcase · 29/08/2017 18:25

My DSs are at a very sporty independent school and so its not anything to do with being in a "classy" place sweetluck. Certainly not in this case anyway even if childhood obesity is typically more prevalent in lower income families.

splendide · 29/08/2017 18:26

The obvious answer (to children in poverty being too fat) is to raise their families out of poverty I'd have thought.

Notreallyarsed · 29/08/2017 18:28

splendide absolutely spot on!

CockPisssPartridge · 29/08/2017 18:28

When I was in YR6 primary school there was one overweight girl in my year and she really stood out. In my DD's YR6 there's probably 10-15 noticeably overweight children.
I know a couple of 9/10yr old girls who are both obese and they hate any physical exercise because they are embarrassed and so they don't do PE, Sports Day etc.
It makes me angry on begalf of the kids, if their parents were starving them social services would be informed.
Over feeding- I imagine you'd be laughed at if you tried to report it.

CockPisssPartridge · 29/08/2017 18:29

Oh and I live in a 'naice' area too. These kids aren't from poor families.

oldlaundbooth · 29/08/2017 18:33

It's not fair on the kids.

We were at the beach last week and this little boy was having trouble running Sad

Fekko · 29/08/2017 18:33

We have a lot of very rich folks around here and a high proportion of the kids (and adults) are very overweight. Their maids and baby sitters usually are not though.

But then I see the kids zipping around on those hover boards and mini ride on jeeps, or being pushed in prams tucking into large packs or crisps or sweets and cans of cola and am not really surprised.

WorraLiberty · 29/08/2017 18:34

YANBU but then look at the amount of overweight adults too.

They can't really preach about healthy food/moderation and exercise and expect the kids to take much notice.

'Do as I say and not as I do', rarely works with children.

Adults need to lead by example.

LaurieFairyCake · 29/08/2017 18:35

There's not one overweight child in the independent school I work in. Parents are from a very high income group.

We need to raise children out of poverty Sad

Fekko · 29/08/2017 18:36

My friends little boy was getting heavy. So she bought the both some trainers and sports clothes, learned to ride a bike and took up tennis to encourage him along.

Changeschangechangeagain · 29/08/2017 18:36

I agree. What can we do about it? What should the government be doing? How can parents be helped?

There's been 'healthy eating' classes, school initiatives, nhs measures etc.

How do we get them more active?

Fekko · 29/08/2017 18:37

How much sport do kids do at school? Ds does something every day and both days on the weekend too. I'm a lazy sod but realise that if he doesn't do sports now, when will he ever?

Jayfee · 29/08/2017 18:37

have you seen wall e..there will be peopke like that in the future! it always makes me sad to see fat kids

ThymeLordIsSpartacus · 29/08/2017 18:38

Quite, splendide. Trouble is, for lots of people that's not as much fun as a thread on MN and shitty little comments about classy towns.

Angelicinnocent · 29/08/2017 18:38

15 year old who has been in my DD class since year 2 and has always been extremely obese but her mother won't accept it. Parents are both very slim, mother always on a diet but I remember helping on a school trip and this girls lunch box had 2 full size sub roll sandwiches, sausage roll, 4 buttered crackers with cheese, crisps and a chocolate mini roll.

Year 6 weight check and mother was complaining how ridiculous it was and would not that her daughter was obese.

I felt so sorry for her and she is now struggling to lose weight as she is a size 18 at 5ft 5.

Newtssuitcase · 29/08/2017 18:38

half the problem IMO is that everyone walks on eggshells and is afraid to offend by saying anything. My DN (7) lives with my DM atm. My DM feeds her a ridiculous amount. I was there last week and she'd had her dinner and a large bowl of pudding. Within half an hour she was back for a handful of biscuits (about 6), then half an hour later two bananas and then she had some ham and a chocolate chip muffin as a "treat" before bed two hours later.

I was apparently ridiculous when I gently said to my DM that she was fairly significantly overweight and that she shouldn't be giving her all that food.