To be horrified the NHS classes 5yo DD as overweight?

[mommathatwearspink]

DD (5) had her school night and weight check at school earlier in the week. Received a letter today saying that she is on the 94th percentile and classes as overweight for her age and height.

Im horrified! She doesn’t look overweight, does gymnastics and swimming each week, doesn’t over eat, treats are limited and I cook healthy meals from scratch most days. What the hell am I doing wrong???

Why do people get so angry. The bmi letter is a prompt for a conversation to look at a bigger picture. If you have a family made up of 6' 4" rugby players then it's less of a concern but generally the bmi is a good starting point.

My 11 yo isn't 5st yet but I know an 8 yo who is 4'5" - both are classed at healthy.

My parents binned the letters" is going to become the new "My parents made me clear my plate" when the next generation are struggling with their adult weight.

ABSOLUTELY.

I do hope Toffee comes back to say she made a typo about her child.

I will say with regards to "solid" children, just as a passing comment, that they do definitely exist - my cousin's daughter was like a tank at 2! She was broad and tall and too heavy for me to comfortably pick up, totally genetic - she had Haitian ancestry and apparently very high genetic bone density and muscle mass is common. (That's according to my aunt, I have no idea if it's true.) I wouldn't be at all surprised if she'd been off the chart back then. BUT she is now about 9 and still quite tall for her age but a beanpole with it. She'd certainly evened out by the time she was about 4.

Why are you even allowing her to take part in this ridiculous data collecting government crap. I didn't let either of my daughters and they rang me saying " but wont your daughter feel left out a.s she wont get a sticker" a fucking sticker? I said I disagree with this at base
Level and made me believe we are entering an Orwellian society and give my child a sticker anyway if they are that worried

There is no way on this earth that a 5 stone 5 year old is anything other than well beyond the 99.6th centile for weight, making them overweight if they’re

Oh my gosh Queen you were TWELVE there?! Crikey, you look seventeen! I had a friend who was just the same, ironically surnamed "Short"

I had the same with DS2...threw the letter in the bin and haven't thought about it until now!

Also the muscle weighs more than fat thing is complete bullshit for women and children.
Do women and children have a lot of muscle mass? The answer is no.

For children, yes, but bollocks for women. I've got a very sturdy build and pile on muscle easily; at one point I was leg pressing more weight than the average man. A Surgeon-Commander once told me that I was one of the fittest people in the ship despite being overweight according to BMI. Didn't hurt that I was wearing gym clothes so they could see the muscles. Have a look at the female lifters in competition and tell me that women don't put on muscle mass.

Now, of course, is a different story.... 🤣

This is so sad. No wonder we have an obesity crisis with so many parents saying "bin the letter" and burying their heads in the sand.

BMI does work for the vast majority of people, the exceptions are grown men and women who body build or are professional athletes such as rugby players. Children are never under such strict training and dietary regimes as to make BMI inaccurate because quite frankly it would be child abuse to force a child to weight train for hours every day.

Why are you even allowing her to take part in this ridiculous data collecting government crap.

So the government shouldn't bother trying to tackle another generation of children growing up overweight?

My daughter goes swimming and there's a number of children who are obviously overweight. I just don't think some parents see it (or want to see it because addressing it is hard work).

How exactly is sending letters out to parents, not knowing any details of their activities, diet etc tackling obesity?
They aren't sending details of local clubs to join or any other information or guidance with their letters.

Phone is too big for my hands 😅

A 5 stone (30+kg) 5 year old boy would have to be 126cm+ to be on the 99.4th centile for both height and weight.

Blondie they generally get followed up by a member of the school nursing team and offered support. Although, as I'm sure you've gathered from this thread, most people don't want any help

@QuimReaper yep, the date on the photo shows it as it was taken a week or so after my 12th birthday so I was only just 12 too. I was served in a pub at 13, always looked a lot older but was v hourglass and tall from 10 onwards

How exactly is sending letters out to parents, not knowing any details of their activities, diet etc tackling obesity?

Because some parents may not know that their children are overweight or it may be the push they need to do something about it.

If a child is muscular (I have never met a muscular 5 year old), has a health condition or is on steroids or similar than the parent will know. For many their children will just be eating too much and not exercising enough.

I have a seven year old who has just passed the three stone mark and a thirteeen year old who has just passed the five stone mark, a five stone five year old seems very wrong to me

Whenever someone posts an outraged 'I was told my child is overweight!!' with a photo of said child, the child is always clearly overweight. It's only the mother who claims there's not an ounce of fat on them. 95-97% of parents of overweight kids claim their children are 'just right'.

5 stone at 5! Wow is he very tall? My oldest is 11 and is only just coming up to 5 stone. He's short and slim.

The 'binned the letter' people won't let it stop them complaining later that the schools should have done more to make their kids exercise, eat healthily etc.

Jesus fucking christ, this thread is truly scary. No wonder we have a child obesity crisis.
Did someone seriously say their 5 year old weighed 5 stone??? WTAF???
I weighed under 5 stone when I was 11, I still have my medical card, and I was nowhere near the thinnest child in the class
All the people who are saying 'just bin it ' - just fuck off. These people are trained medical professionals, they know way more than you do.
OP if my child was in the 94th centile I would be seriously concerned, given that so many children are overweight.

My daughter goes swimming and there's a number of children who are obviously overweight. I just don't think some parents see it (or want to see it because addressing it is hard work).

I think at least some of those parents do see it, which is why the kids are signed up for swimming.

@chanklybore is five stone at thirteen actually healthy? I was thirteen stone, and my freakishly short friend was seven stone.

Teenagers are at peak fitness - at no other time of your life does anyone make you do hours and hours of high intensity exercise. Or suddenly announce that you're all going for a three mile run uphill in the rain 🙄

I don't miss PE at all!

You're right spacie maybe some of them; but there are a frightening number of parents on here who say 'my child goes swimming' as a reason they can't be overweight.

You are right to be horrified. I was a fat child. I am healthy now but it’s permanently deformed me.

Has toffee penny come back yet to explain how her 4 year old weighs 5 stone?

Why oh why do you consent for the measurements then if you aren’t going to take any notice of the result, or moan about it? Just say you don’t consent.

Parents now actually think a child in the healthy weight range is too skinny - there are so many overweight “sturdy” children that they are seen as the norm.