at being shocked at the huge amount of teenagers who are overweight?

[Blossomhill]

Controversial I know. I also completely understand that their will be children who are overweight for reasons beyond their control. However it really does upset me to see so many children and teens who are obviously quite considerably overweight

Part of the problem is lack of exercise and part is processed food. One of my 9 year olds played in a rugby match after school. He then walked home alone 9whch admittedly is not far). He'd forgotten two things so I sent him back to get them to school. Mind you he is now pretty tired tonight.... but they play out on their own on bikes quite a bit (safe area). Even so that twin is heavier (the rugby one although not fat) than his very skinny non identical twin - it's very interesting to see because the same foods are available to them both. The bigger one chooses to eat bigger portions - genetics obviously playing some part. I think my daughters and I are all size 10 ish and my teenage son is slim.

I think a big part of the problem is processed foods and sugar and so much food being available wherever we go at stations, by the side of the road, in schools. If fod were something you just literally couldn't get your hands on until lunch break time we woudln't snack so much. The French eat at meal times. Even if we just did that - 3 meals a day and no snacks most of us would be a better weight.

Message withdrawn

goodness, something me and Xenia agree on

My daughter ate those biscuits at M&T groups and she's NOT FAT. That's not the reason or even setting up a pattern. M&T group is an isolated thing.

I honestly don't have a problem with the snacks served at M&T groups, because we don't eat like that at home regularly and the DDs know that.

To me, it teaches them everything in moderation.

This obesity is coming from a diet of many or a diet of mostly poor quality foods in too large portions and lack of exercise.

right i have just done the height/weight calculation on all my dd's. dd1 is def cvlassed as too big as her calculation was 0.58 so slightly over. work it out here.

dd2 who is very tall and slim looking, worked out at 0.4

Yes they do, you're right, needmorecoffee, but if their parents are always telling them to calm down and sit down and play nicely and behave and don't give them the opportunities to run around that we used to have, there's going to be problems. How many parents nowadays just let their kids out to play and run around in the garden all day? Or (shock horror) the neighbourhood? Kids are also more scheduled than they used to be. This club, that activity..but not many of them give the child that same level of physical activity as running down the hill to the field where they climb trees and hang from rope swings ...

however, I did all that and still ended up so fat Greenpeace keep showing up on my doorstep trying to protect me.

LOL. I read this as being shocked by the amount of TEACHERS being overweight.

lack of sport in schools, school playing fields being sold off for housing..

Our primary school is exceedingly sporty and out of 200 children, I can only think of about 3 that I would call fat. The school diet is pretty good too.

As well as loss of playing fields, there is a general loss of open spaces and indeed gardens. New houses all seem to have postage stamp gardens these days and many older houses have sold their gardens to developers. And the traffic is much heavier and much faster so unless you live in a quiet cul-de-sac or the like, letting children out on bikes is a tough call.

And yes, national diet is mostly atrocious.

sanae on Fri 22-Feb-08 18:14:24
"I was shocked moving from Hampshire village to Cornwall - almost none of the mums or kids were overweight in Hants, LOADS in Cornwall."

Interesting you should say this, Sanae, I was sitting here reading through this thread, wondering what's wrong with my dc's school since very few of the children there appear overweight: we're in Southampton. The only ones that do seem overweight are some of the mums in the playground (and the odd teacher), but even they are not in the majority. Most kids do seem to walk to school here and the schools do a lot to encourage it.

and another thing... you know they say that children who see adults reading a lot tend to be more interested in books?, if the same applies to exercise then I guess many children don't see adults exercising because so much of it is based at the gym these days.

My husband and I had this very conversation last week whilst sat in a theme park - the number of overweight children was unbelievable. It is without doubt getting worse - junk food, quantities of food, and lack of exercise are all to blame.

When I was little my mum would cook a fray bentos (yuck!) pie and it would feed 4 of us - now people have half or a whole one each?

I'll now waddle down off my soap box - sat here a stone overweight

I don't know how kids get fat, I just can't feed my kids enough!!!!

When I overeat I get fat. When I control my eating I stay the same weight. All this fat is an illness stuff is highly dubious.

I see overweight people eating round town, pasties, burgers all the time.

If we teach our children 'its an illness' it removes all responsibility from them to control thier diet.

I am sure that the actual medical statistics for those who for some reason cant control weight are very low indeed.

Its funny when you see pictures of people in countrys where there is food shortages, that there are not obese people.

Ducks head from being shot at by the PC crowd

I agree beeper. We watch some of the programmes on obesity and many say 'we hardly eat a thing'. Ask the relatives or have a hidden camera and they never stop eating and all the fatty foods. Hardly anyone binges on vegetables!

beeper!

Thinking of all ds1's friends I can only think of one. Infact there was probably more when I was growing up.

We live up North and the children are always out playing in the estate. On bikes, trampolines, even playing their own version of the Olympic Games Added to that all the various sports they do, they look like skinny whippets

Where on earth are you living? I know quite a few teenagers and smaller ones, due to my own two and I don't think I know one overweight child. I'm pretty sure I can't live somewhere that far removed from reality, I'm less than 50 miles from London.

I hear alot about fat kids but rarely ever see one. I sometimes think it's all media hype being blown out of proportion. I do look out for them, just to prove i am wrong but all the kids i see in the street/at playgrounds are healthy looking normal weight kids.

Sorry I cannot read the whole thread. Are we talking about girls? My DD is 5ft 3 size 10, 8 half stone age 13 but compared to her friends she is a heffer!!! They are all so skinny and out of all her 7 close friends she is the fattest.

MsSparkle, You are right they are all very healthy to me. In fact this is the first generation that I've seen so slim. Worries me because my DD is very curvy at a size 10??? wtf The fashion is size 0.

Bristol is stuffed with fat kids, even down to toddler size. I find it quite shocking.

abouteve it doesn't matter what size she is. As long as she is healthy, eats right and gets exersize she is fine. Everyone has a natural weight and if you do all the things above then you should stay at your natural weight. If you have to constantly diet to maintain your figure then it's not your natural weight.

There are loads about. I do notice differences - I live in a fairly prosperous area so people are thinner. If I take a business trip elsewhere sometimes you can immediately notice the difference in size. It's a bit regional in some areas.

I agree with MsSparkle- As long as they are healthy and active I wouldn't worry too much about their size.
I think you can actually make it worse by putting them on a diet too young.

I live in London and I rarely see a vastly overweight child. I think there are two in the whole scholl which is probably normal and has it always has been.