Plus sized clothing for kids

[m4rdybum]

Not sure if this has been covered yet - not seen it but apologies if it has!

See the article here

It makes me sad that we live in a world where we need plus sized clothes for kids. I was hideously obese as a child - I had to see a dietician when I was 10 and was in size 18-20 clothes - and this was down to the fact that I was allowed to eat whatever I wanted.

I genuinely believe this has dramatically affected my relationship with food nowadays, and I blame my parents and grandparents.

When do we start cracking down on kids having more than just puppy fat?

@m4rdybum Your comment about a box of seashells made me remember beings bought a box of Milk Tray for being brave when I'd had a jab as a child. A fucking whole box! Really what were they thinking?!?

I think it is so cruel that some parents allow their children to get overweight. Same as allowing children to starve IMO. Obviously not including children with medical issues that cause them to be overweight but this is so rare it is barely worth mentioning.

Its a parents responsibility to keep their child a healthy weight but it can't be easy with all the junk food that is available today.
People my age will go on about how there were hardly any overweight children when we were young but to be fair, there wasn't all the convenience foods there are today and people did not have the money to indulge their kids.
Fast foods were rarely bought. A takeaway was fish and chips on a rare occasion. People did not eat out in pubs and restaurants and yes,..children were far more active playing out all day.
Anyone born here today has never known anything other than what is available now so why would they limit themselves to a lifestyle of 50 years ago?

It can be difficult. My parents were very controlling about what I ate so I used to smuggle food into my room. I always believed I was fat, even when I wasn't. But fat children do bother me.

I have been overweight since I was about 10 and my hormones kicked in. I try to be aware of what my children are eating with regards to portion size, fruit and veg and we're lucky that they will eat a wide range of food.

I do worry that my DD (9) will pick up on the fact that I am trying to lose weight so I try to only talk about healthy choices and getting fit but it is hard, I don't want to make her aware of her weight at all. I have sneakily checked both children's BMI and they were both fine.

When the reception checks were done there was one mom who couldn't believe her child was overweight. I didn't know what to say as my instinctive response of, "she's fucking huge!" probably wouldn't have gone down well. The child was like a balloon and from what I saw them eat at home the whole family ate massive amounts of food, pretty much constantly. I know it's meant to be hard to see it yourself but really, how can some people not see it?

I grew up in the 70's/80's and feel very fortunate for that. I don't envy the lifestyles of many children today.

I want to repeat this from BirdsGottaFly

Our Councils are having to look at selling off our parks. There have been three outdoor projects, that were hugely popular with "underprivileged" families, that have had to be axed.Schools are having to shelve Sports events, extra curricular activities and even the schools for the disabled have had to cut down on the activity type holidays that they used to offer.

Rather than pearl clutching over pants with big waist measurements why not find out how councils are selling playing fields in your area? Or how pools and leisure centres are crumbling and closing down.
Why not consider that, possibly, you and your neighbours driving your kids everywhere in your SUV is discouraging patents from letting their kids walk to school with their friends.
How about the fact that big supermarkets have replaced corner shops, and spend millions paying marketing people to work out how best to make you pick up a multi pack of crisps when you only went in for winemilk.
Where I live every last bit of green space is being gobbled up by executive homes, youth clubs are gone, and there is bugger all for older kids to do other than hang out in the KFC.
Why don't we pressure the government to increase council funding for leisure and community services, campaign to award village green status to local bits of green so we get to keep them, and improve public transport do kids can get themselves about?
It's do easy to point fingers, but the issues are WAY bigger than parents overfeeding. Junk food is very very addictive, and being pushed at us by massive corporations, all the time.
Traffic on the roads in many places is at an unsustainable level, and there barely anywhere safe to play or ride your bike in lots of places.
(For the record I don't have an overweight child but shaming people isn't going to adress the real causes of the problem).

"Obviously not including children with medical issues that cause them to be overweight but this is so rare it is barely worth mentioning."

It's not that rare. I can think of at least 10 children I know who are overweight due to issues associated with sn. Some of it is due to medication, some of it is mental health issues plus lack of access to facilities for exercise. My son is slim but that's because I can control almost all of what he eats, we have so far avoided medication, and he naturally never stops moving. It is very difficult for other parents.

A young adult today with HIV has a greater life expectancy than someone with Type 2 diabetes.

I don't care what the reasons are behind obesity (and for most people, it is eating too much crap). And ultimately, it's the parents' responsibility. So yes, I'll happily judge those parents who refuse to engage with their child's health. Schools are doing their bit (lunchbox police threads anyone?), the Government is slowly doing things (look at the reduction in salt in foods lately, the sugar tax, and efforts regarding portion size) but ultimately they can't stop parents overfeeding their children.

spikeyball That doesn't explain why there are so many more overweight children now than say 30 years ago.

Children come in all shapes and sizes. It's ludicrous to size clothes by age.

For example my dd is nearly 6 but she's short with long limbs and whippet thin. So if I get her ages 4/5, the legs are too short but the waist is right. A bigger size means a massive waist. Adjustable waists are useless for leggings which is her preference as she hates jeans.

My ds in the other hand is chunky. He's short and is not obese (he's been weighed and measured regularly) but I can see that he could go that way if we don't exercise him enough. So much to his disgust, I make him walk if it's a 20 min walk instead of driving. I talk to my dcs about the value of exercise and actually how fun it is. Because it is, just need to find the right thing.

The biggest problem isn't diet but exercise. Our children do not have enough time in the school day to run around, they do not walk to school enough and they don't do enough sport. They play too many computer games when they could be running about making noise as having fun (which is bloody annoying and I can see why parents prefer to use the tv).

Yes some people will say that they hated sport as a kid. Well sorry but that's not a reason to not have PE. Plenty of things like walking, running plus team sports means that there's something for everyone.

I would rather that children would have a slightly longer school day to allow for sport and other extra curricular things like music. Let's have more walking clubs, running clubs etc etc.

Oh yes I know this costs money. But already it costs the NHS billions in tackling diabetes and heart disease. Why add to that cost? Why not spend the money on prevention instead?

As for those lazy fuckers that drive their kids to school when it's a ten minute walk and they don't need to. Seriously.

YABU

I knew a girl who was a size 16/18 at age 10 in the 00's. She was an outlier, and stuck out like a sore thumb. She had food issues as there wasn't always enough provided at her parent's house, so once in care she raided cupboards, coerced other kids at school into giving her their treats, took any money she got hold of down the tuck shop etc.

It seems to be getting worse now, used to be every class had maybe one kid who was more than just "chubby", even with our lunchboxes full of Ribena and caramel wafers. Now at my lad's playschool there are already a couple who have more than just puppy fat - they have rolls. I spent my childhood running round fields and nearly breaking my neck falling off rope swings, my mates from the estates mooched to and from each other's houses and played with bikes round their estate. Kids spend more time with their tablets etc.

I would rather that children would have a slightly longer school day to allow for sport and other extra curricular things like music. Let's have more walking clubs, running clubs etc etc Ah yes. Lets place the onus on schools to take the responsibility for children's weight/fitness rather than the parents.

What are these "medical issues" people speak of??? I get that those with disabilities may need extra room to accommodate a nappy or leg/back braces etc and diabetes.

shrunken there are probably a wider range of issues than that, but I expect the majority are overweight for non-medical reasons... but the the fear of putting foot-in-mouth over the one kid in a hundred who has T1 diabetes acts as a kind of censorship.

Conversely, finding clothes for skinny kids is really hard. I have 2 9 year olds shaped like bean poles....trousers are impossible to find for school. I agree fashion for kids should be available in slim, average and plus sizes.

It's not that rare. I can think of at least 10 children I know who are overweight due to issues associated with sn.

I work with SN children and have done for years, I can't think of any who were overweight due their needs. Of course there are particular illnesses that cause weight gain, but they're not common.

*due to their needs

Haven't RTFT yet so apologies if this has been mentioned but I think the issue with childrens clothes is that, like women's clothes, the sizing can vary wildly from one store to another.
E.g. In new look I am a size 14, in H&M or topshop I wouldn't even get my calf in a size 14 trouser.
I have also found this to be true with children's clothing, my ds who is in perfect proportion for his height, not fat by any means (slightly taller than most of his age group) has to one size up for his age, in most stores this is fine for him, in some (Next and H&M off the top of my head) he has to size up twice at least

Some children are fat, some adults are fat. Its not ideal obviously, but if youve got a problem with fat kids, then why make the thread about clothes. All kids need clothes, whether theyre fat or skinny. Im sure fat kids get enough grief without people begrudging them being able to buy clothes that fit

Its not ideal obviously, but if youve got a problem with fat kids, then why make the thread about clothes

I don't think my point is about the clothes but more about the fact that the retailers have assessed a need for them.

During my previously mentioned huge days, there was only one place in my town that sold a specifically plus sized range for women and it was limited.

This is now hugely popular for shops to have and is trickling down into kids wear. Signalling an increasing trend in obesity.

I don't believe that obesity has a lot to do with nutrition only per se when it comes to children. I do believe though, that it has a lot to do with the habits of the family and the general culture and attitude towards activity, food and booze.
Me and DH come from backgrounds where spending the weekend hiking, playing sports, being active was the norm.
As a result, when we are in the park, we don't go there to have a picnic, with the car safely parked nearby. We play football, dodgeball, go running. Our DD's latest holidays were in the mountains, with a week of hiking and she was at 7y old more than fit to do it.
The idea of all-inclusive holidays in Spain, lying beside the hotel pool and only moving to lift a glass with some kind of boozy drink or a fry-up for breakfast fills me with horror.
I am trying hard not to but I do have my judgy pants on when I see chubby families picnicking in parks, feeding on multipacks of crisps, sandwiches oozing mayo, drinking fizzies or beer, serving their chubby children more muffins and biscuits. These kids will never learn that being active and eating less is enough to keep you away from dieting and will eventually fall victims to either obesity or all different diets which never really work.

There is a need for them. Theres at least 3 fat kids in my 10 year olds class. Their health is purely between them and their parents, but I am glad they can find clothes, and I really hope they dont grow up feeling shit about their appearance. I hate that everyone is always faux concerned about the health of fat people.
People come in a range of sizes, for a range of reasons

Ffs really???

My nearly 6 yr old is in age 8-9 clothes because she is curvy in bum and hips just like mummy.

She is not fat. The reason plus or generous cuts are needed is because the current cuts are just too skinny.