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

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

128 replies

Blossomhill · 22/02/2008 16:47

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

OP posts:
MsSparkle · 22/02/2008 22:17

Like most things i think the whole obese children thing is hyped up by the media.

mrsruffallo · 22/02/2008 22:19

Yes, I think so too. I think children are bigger in build/height but where are all these obese children then?

MsSparkle · 22/02/2008 22:25

My thoughts exactly.

Tortington · 22/02/2008 22:48

i am rich and therefore i think that poor people are all etting increasingly fatter. i think this is becuase they haven't got the mines to work down anymore. this is neil kinnocks fault

2shoes · 22/02/2008 23:03

i disagree custy i blame it on the fact thapoor people are allowed to buy cake. it shouldn't be allowed.

Scramble · 22/02/2008 23:18

There is a big mix in this area, some very skinny ones but a lot of quite overweight teens too.

Its not surprising really when you see what they come out of the corner shop armed with for a snack. My DS is 11 and out of the 4 boys in his class 2 are very chunky and 2 are quite slim. His freinds that are big seem to be the ones that all frequent the shop for crisp, cans and sweets.

So crap diets and lack of exercise, what do you expect.

Remotew · 22/02/2008 23:30

I agree with a natural weeight but when your dd is a healthy size 10 (she loves her food) and all he friends are striving to be size zero and IMO aviod eating it is worrying.

They are tiny!!!

mrsruffallo · 22/02/2008 23:32

Terrible pressure being put on teenagers

Remotew · 22/02/2008 23:36

Scramble. It's not fair to generalise. My DD had PCOS which makes her prone to put on weight. We really try to help her keep her weight down. But to some kids its a medical condition.

Sarahjct · 22/02/2008 23:39

Haven't read the whole thread, sorry. But just wanted to say that as an overweight mother or a 6 week old dd, one of my biggest worries is how to make sure that my issues don't rub off on her. I intend to do everything I can to sort myself out so that she hasn't got a fat mother as a role model, but at the same time I don't want to make an issue out of food and weight and body image. I just want her to be normal weight with a normal attitude to food and, primarily, happy with herself.

It's v early days but it bothers me already because I don't know how to approach it all.

Scramble · 22/02/2008 23:45

No it is not fair to generalise, thats why I didn't. I said DS's overweight freinds are the ones that stuff their faces with junk from the shop. I did not say all overweight teens sit on their arses all day eating sweets. Of course there any many reasons. but on the whole (as with obese adults) it is overeating and lack of excersise that is at the root of it.

mrsruffallo · 22/02/2008 23:50

I find the climate we live in very very worrying sarah. I am bringing my dc up to love good food, I think that is the most imp thing. Unhealthy food in very small doses, healthy food makes you feel good.
I think many children/ teenagers go through a chubby stage and then seem to even out. Parents see it as a failure on their part and panic.

I have a petite 5 yr old dd, eats like a horse, but tiny. The comments she gets disgust me. From ooh, you're lucky, you're so slim to
you've got a lovely figure in that dress
I try and talk to her about how she feels rather than how she looks.
For some people , other peoples weight is an obsession.
There are more important things in life

themoon66 · 23/02/2008 00:02

Custy... I blame Thatcher for shutting the mines.. I seem to recall that Kinnock tried to keep em open. Am one bottle down and well pissed mind, so may be suffering false memory syndrome

Remotew · 23/02/2008 00:02

I'm just saying that I am lucky I am slim and always have been. But DD is not the same. She enjoys her food and is not a size 0 as her friends are. Therefore as a 13 year old girl she doesnt fit in with her mates who tell her she is fat.

That is rubbish and I cannot wait till the said girls/women get a rounded figure and they wont bully my lovely daughter anymore.

mrsruffallo · 23/02/2008 00:05

abouteve- my comments weren't aimed at you. I can see how you felt they were. It was more a personal thing. I gained weight when I started my periods it was a temporary thing but my mother had me down at weight watchers with all these old women.
It was depressing

Remotew · 23/02/2008 00:11

MrsR, No problem and in the general scheme of things our problems are nilch. Just thought I'd point it out that not overweight kids are due to bad parenting.

Remotew · 23/02/2008 00:15

Will also add that perhaps your mum was so wrong/right. Tell me how you felt. You lovely cuddly bunny {please give me hug]

mrsruffallo · 23/02/2008 00:21

Thanks for cuddly bunny lol!!!
At the time I was happy becuase being young and competitive I lost more weight than anyone else each week.
But I think it was wrong. I was very sporty and I think that side of things could have been encouraged more. I felt like a lot of pressure was put on me and I had to be grateful and always stick to a diet, even at parties etc.
I don't think I would limit how much my child of that age needed to eat, but encourage healthier habits maybe????

Remotew · 23/02/2008 00:34

Cheers Mrs R. I dont know how old your DC's are but whatever there age we are truly blessed. My DD aged 13 hasnt had it easily IWSYIM but I've done my best. Bless them all. Its lovely to chat for a while on Mnet.

mrsruffallo · 23/02/2008 00:49

It is true being a mother enriches yuor life!!
Bless you too
g'night for now

Remotew · 23/02/2008 00:56

Night and sleep tight.

Remotew · 23/02/2008 00:56

Night and sleep tight.

Remotew · 23/02/2008 00:57

2 posts whooops!

duchesse · 23/02/2008 08:24

In my daughter's (yr 8) class there are 12 girls, of whom about 7 are overweight to obese, and 5 are what I would consider healthy builds for 12-13 yr olds. The larger ones are overall less active, eat more crap and avoid exercise and walking. That's it really. They are all at private school, so I do not believe that income is at fault.

belgo · 23/02/2008 08:27

I get a shock every time I go back to England and see the obesity problem - children, teenagers, adults. And then I go into ASDA and understand why ....all those cream cakes and ready made meals.

I would weigh a lot more if I lived in England.