Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for your help? DD aged 3 is overweight!

198 replies

LumiereLight · 09/02/2020 20:52

DD is almost 4 and absolutely loves food. She asks for food constantly throughout the day and I often have to refuse. She doesn’t seem to reach the point of being full.

She loves porridge for breakfast. She eats oranges, apples, bananas, eggs, whole meal bread, home-cooked meals, plenty of veg, yoghurts, cheese, beef, chicken etc. The problem is, most days she cries for more and I have to tell her she can’t have anything else which makes her upset.

According to the NHS child’s BMI calculator, she is overweight (92nd centile). According to her growth charts, she is in the 25th centile for height and the 75th centile for weight.

Just for context, my older daughter who is 6 is in the 9th centile on the BMI calculator and DH and I are also both slim.

I’m just really struggling with the volume of food DD2 wants to eat. I give her nowhere near as much as she wants and yet she’s still overweight. What can I do to help get this under control?

I’m so grateful for your help.

OP posts:
Original poster
LumiereLight · 09/02/2020 21:28

What do you mean when you say you’re massively restricting her food intake? What is she actually eating on a normal day?

I mean that she’s begging me for more food constantly and I’m having to say no.

Here’s a typical days food:

Breakfast:
Porridge topped with some banana

Snack:
Some small cubes of cheese, 2 ritz crackers and cucumber slices

Lunch:
Soft cheese and ham sandwich on whole meal bread (1 slice of bread)
1 Apple
Pepper sticks
Yoghurt

Snack:
1 orange
Some avacado slices

Dinner:
Bolognese with lots of veg through it with pasta

OP posts:
Cremebrule · 09/02/2020 21:29

I think a gp visit would be in order- not necessarily for the weight but for the mega appetite in combination with the tiredness. I’ve seen my 3 year old’s appetite really drop back this year as her growth has slowed despite being on the go all the time. Her baby sister often eats more than her.

Has her weight changed much? Mine has consistently followed the 75th for weight since birth but is tall (and always has been). If she’s suddenly jumped up the centiles that might tell a different story to if she’s followed the like consistently.

When you say you’re massively restricting her, what sort of portions is she having and what would she have with no restriction?

Original poster
LumiereLight · 09/02/2020 21:30

She only drinks water. Small cup of semi skimmed milk sometimes.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 09/02/2020 21:31

What is she eating? How much are you restricting her food?

BellingtonWoots · 09/02/2020 21:31

I'd take her to the GP, that doesn't sound right. My friend was a bit older than your DD, but she was chubby, always hungry, and very tired/low energy (despite coming from a very active and health conscious family) and it ended up being a mixture of thyroid issues and vitamin deficiencies.

Jimjamjong · 09/02/2020 21:32

That's not a massive amount of food. Just giver her more fruit and veg if she is hungry, you can't really overheat fruit and veg, it's nearly all water.

Yogawoogie · 09/02/2020 21:32

What is she drinking? And how much?

dementedpixie · 09/02/2020 21:33

Maybe needs more protein and a sandwich made with 2 slices of bread

meow1989 · 09/02/2020 21:33

I think I would ask the gp to check her thyroid and iron levels. Also ask them to weigh and height her as their scales will be regularly calibrated. What you've posted in terms of a day of food doesnt sound at all outrageous. Does she look overweight or are you just basing on numbers? If the gp agrees that your daughter is overweight and theres no medical cause then you can ask for a dietician referral so you have some professional guidance on her intake.

sparklefarts · 09/02/2020 21:33

That's not a massive amount of food.

And why on earth have you not taken her to the drs with the tiredness, falling over etc previously?

Im assuming no one has actually told you she is over wright and this is just because you think she looks chubby? Hmm

newroundhere · 09/02/2020 21:35

My 3 year old eats more than that - doesn't sound unhealthy or too much to me. To be fair my DS is basically a giant (off the scake for height and weight) so he might not be the best guideline but it doesn't feel like huge portions.

Cremebrule · 09/02/2020 21:36

Having seen that list, I don’t think that’s excessive at all and I’d add something else in if she’s hungry. It might be that she’d be better having a bigger lunch and something lighter for dinner. Is there a pattern to when she’s at her hungriest?

Eg breakfast, mine would eat a whole banana with cereal not just ‘some’. She would sometimes have two slices of bread for the sandwich not just one. The afternoon snack isn’t really that filling.

DesLynamsMoustache · 09/02/2020 21:36

That sounds almost exactly like what my 1yo eats in a day tbh, so maybe she is actually hungry!

Agree that the tiredness and falling over is more important than weight centiles at this point. When did you last weigh and measure her?

dementedpixie · 09/02/2020 21:36

Fruit isn't actually very filling.

Emmacb82 · 09/02/2020 21:37

I would definitely see the GP re the tiredness just to make sure there isn’t a reason for this.
I have a 3 year old boy who constantly asks for food, but I have found that it is a habit and it only happens when we are inside for a day. When we are out and about he doesn’t bother me at all, so I put it down to boredom and either ignore him and get him to change activity, or I will offer him fruit. Quite often if it’s not the snack he wants he will turn his nose up which proves he isn’t actually that hungry!
Although he is perfectly fine and in proportion, he does pack a large portion away especially at dinner, probably much bigger than a 3 year old should, so maybe just keep on eye on your portion sizes.
Try and encourage more walking, carrying her is not going to help her in the long run plus a 3 year old is not light! Maybe try and find some activity/exercise that she really enjoys to get her moving.

Embracelife · 09/02/2020 21:38

Getting tired and wobbly (beyond a typical 3 year old) = check with gp especially as was sleepy baby. Is she hypermobility? Very flexible?
Do a food diary for week aNd gef referral to the community dietician to go through properly. Dont put 3 yr old on any diet without medical advice. Dont let her go hungry.

DesLynamsMoustache · 09/02/2020 21:38

I also wouldn't be heavily restricting food without speaking to a health professional about it, as it shouldn't really be necessary with an otherwise healthy and reasonably active child eating a balanced diet.

youareacuntychops · 09/02/2020 21:40

Your dd diet sounds very similar to my sons. He is 3.5 he is 3"4 and 2st7lbs. I've no idea what his bmi is. Is your daughter far off these measurements?
He would run around all day without stopping and never complain of sore legs. I think that's what I'd be concentrating on at this age. Maybe see your gp just to put your mind at rest.

SirVixofVixHall · 09/02/2020 21:43

Get her thyroid tested. An underactive thyroid makes you tired, prone to weight gain, and craving carbs. Hopefully it isn’t that but I would ask for it to be tested.

youareacuntychops · 09/02/2020 21:43

Although ds snacks are possibly smaller (usually just a portion of fruit or an oat bar) but then a few times a week he'll have a bit of chocolate or an ice cream at the weekend.

trilbydoll · 09/02/2020 21:43

That's not a huge amount of food unless the porridge and bolognese are adult portions.

HmmIsThisAGoodIdea · 09/02/2020 21:44

Actually I disagree. If you look it up that really is quite a lot of food! I was doing something similar (it didn't seem like a lot to me at the time) and the HV was quite shocked and gave me a link to a website with some guidelines on it. It was quite Ann eye-opener! I'm really sorry I can't remember what the website was because it was a while ago now. Definitely worth having a Google and speaking to a HV though and I'm sure they'd be happy to advise you.

slapmyarseandcallmemary · 09/02/2020 21:44

My ds is 3 in April. He is 3ft 2in and weighs 2st 12lbs. He is a really fussy eater. However, everyone always comments on how big he is for his age. He has been consistently on the 97th centile since birth. He doesnt eat much at all. I dont think what you've listed as a typical day's food for your wee girl is huge, but I think the tiredness and wobbly legs is def worth getting checked. Hope she is ok.

Embracelife · 09/02/2020 21:45

Also she may be confusing ferling hungry with other issues/symptoms. ... focus on the wobbly legs aNd tell gp . Keep a note of when the wobbly legs happen - every day? Once a week? . I would be asking for head to toe review with gp and a look at why she "wobbly" as well as checking height weight properly and getting dietary advice.

OoohTheStatsDontLie · 09/02/2020 21:46

To me her diet sounds fine. Maybe eggs for breakfast would keep her fuller as its protein? There is a condition that some people have where they don't feel full no matter what they eat. I cant remember what it's called sorry. I have a distant relative who had it, he used to eat to the point of vomiting if his parents didnt stop him. I think he grew out of it but dont know if they needed any medical intervention.

It wont hurt to go to the doctor and get her checked out, the falling over would concern me