To think after lockdown teenagers need to lose weight?

[Alisonshaw]

I know during lockdown alot of us have relaxed and probably snacked alot more than we should have and I know that his has unfortunately extended to my teenage DS too. He is 17 and has piled on the weight over lockdown. I wouldn't say obese but certainly something to keep an eye on. Do we need to make more of an effort nationally to help us all lose some weight, but particularly children before it is too late?
Maybe schools need to introduce more PE (although with stretched timetables this would be very challenging) or maybe a national measurement program of older teens. Maybe just a bit of time to get over the stress of the last year we and our DC have been through?

Neither of mine have. They could do with putting on weight. YABU and buying the wrong things / not exercising obviously.

Schools have got enough of a mountain to climb with unprecedented levels of academic and pastoral catch up to sort out. I dont think they can be dealing with obesity in some teens on top of that. I'm quite sure that some teens will have gained weight (and some developed eating disorders) but it's for parents to manage with the support of appropriate services - not schools.

My 11 year old has. I was looking back at pics of them all at the start of lockdown last year and realised just how much weight he’s put on. We do go for a daily walk and I make them play in the garden daily but it’s nowhere near as active as they would be at school.

My kids have stayed active so haven't put any weight on and I've not noticed any of their friends have. It's up to him to look after himself, exercise has always been allowed during the pandemic.

My teenage daughter has lost weight , she was an 8 is now a six. Not underweight but she would be if she lost more than a couple more pounds. Not everyone has been stuffing their faces.

I really think that this one is on the parents. They had a hand in the weight-gain over lockdown, they need to be the ones to help those teens who have gained weight, lose it again.

For my own part, I've pretty much been in lockdown since March, and have been slowly but steadily losing weight. And I badly needed to do so.

Let's hope that when the teens are able to be out, about and active again, much of this will sort itself out quite naturally.

Mine has gained weight, and I'm sure she is not the only one struggling to get the motivation up to go on yet another tedious walk for the sake of it.

However the day they go back to school, she'll be back doing 14k steps day and will be a lot less bored. That'll sort her out. Her parents' weight gain is going too be harder to put right.

People need to start taking responsibility for themselves if you ask me, and parents should be responsible for instilling healthy eating and exercise habits in their children.

It is not up to schools, the NHS or any other official body to do it for us.

Those with genuine eating disorders should get the support they need of course, but not the overwhelming majority who just eat too much, exercise too little, and act all surprised because they've gained weight.

Why are you waiting until AFTER lockdown?

I've put on weight in lockdowns. My kids haven't. I used to swim - fast-en route work. The pools opened up for a few weeks then closed again. I used to play a sweaty team sport, it hasn't been able to operate at all.
I also used to do yoga, I carried that on in some ways but not to the same intensity as the particular class I did.

I tried you tube videos but packed on weight. Taking the kids to the park isn't good exercise. So as a last resort I took up running and developed plantar fasitiis. Now even walking hurts. I googled what to do about it, on article said change your sport to swimming....!
I was getting fat, now I'm in pain and getting fat. My area didn't open pools previously when the rest of the country did, I could do with them getting a move on this time!

@AvocadosBeforeMortgages

Maybe schools need to introduce more PE

If I had to pick one reason why I find sports so deeply unappealing, 13 years after leaving school, PE would be it. I'm not naturally sporty, and PE was a continual lesson in the fact that exercise involved freezing your bits off in cold weather, inadequate clothing, always coming last regardless of how much effort I put in, and generally being thoroughly unenjoyable.

To this day, the only sort of exercise I can stomach is the sort that is non-competitive and has a practical purpose to it - which pretty much boils down to walking, and cycling from A to B. That's not the sort of exercise we did at school.

Thankfully I'm naturally fairly slim, but I can assure you that school PE had a long term detrimental impact on my exercise levels.

This. PE is for some people the worst experience of their life’s.

Only me and dh have in this house , teenagers have stayed the same , although ds 2 does run, use his bike and exercise still as he is very sporty, ds1 doesn't eat a lot and is borderline underweight.
I think if its only a few pounds many will loose it anyway as they start to get more active again

If your child has got fat then that’s something that you and him need to work on together at home.

I’m sure it’s very comforting for you to kid yourself that everyone else’s kids are in the same boat, and that it’s yet another problem for schools to take responsibility for- but this simply isn’t true.

Get your own family in order before you start commenting on anyone else’s.

Poor teachers, they have enough on their plates without having kids weight management chucked at them .
Who does the shopping in your house Op ? This really is down to you to sort out.

Your posting history shows a weird, probably unhealthy, obsession with your teenage son's weight, that preceded lockdown.

Hmmm. Just had a look. Very weird, every post is about the sons weight on different threads.

My ds has put on some weight so have I. So this lockdown I've made a effort to make sure we all get out for exercise an not been buying as much junk food and making sure we have healthy meals. We've not lost any weight but right now am happy were not putting more on. Once everything is a bit more normal we will concentrate on losing it together as a family.

My DS and his friends have spent a lot of time exercising. He is a growing teen so needs lots of food but hasn't increased his food intake due to Lockdown. So not sure how widespread it will be

Mine haven't gained weight and are naturally very slim, I was the same as a teen.

@LookingForSalt

I think some posters are deliberately misunderstanding the OP.

I would hope that COVID has taught everyone that well-being is the single most important thing and yes of course diet and exercise are part of this. No fat shaming necessary, just good support. Same goes for those who refused food as a coping mechanism, we can be on the same side about this, no need to hurl abuse at those who have experienced the stress differently.

You can't support someone into self improvement though.

They have to do it themselves

Posted too soon - I would however, like to see my DS school do more on the PE front as all they do in year 9 is football once a week and if he ends up on the bench he isn't getting any exercise.

I would take control and strip out any junk food, and insist on at least a family walk if not proper exercise every day.
They have three weeks until they return to college/school I would use the three weeks left to get him into shape.
He is 17 so you will need tread lightly. If you don't stock fattening foods at home he can't eat them!
Not the schools problem I have to say!

Surely its not for the schools to sort out?
You were the one buying in the food, I would think?

Some very judgemental posts here. One by product of schools being shut is that many children sports classes have been closed. The weather has been poor. Not everyone has room in their house to exercise properly. Many parents are wfh and homeschooling so struggling to cope. I don't think it is schools problem to fix but I equally think lockdown has led to many children and adults putting on weight.

I think perhaps cross out teenagers and replace with the word people. It isn't just teens who have become pudgy, there are people of all ages who have put on a bit of weight.

At 17 he is old enough to manage his own weight.

Your role is to support him - make sure there is plenty of healthy food in the house and a minimum of tempting junk. Teach him about healthy cooking methods and portion sizes. Encourage him to take control by preparing his own healthy meals.