To think it’s possible for child to be overweight BMI but not unhealthy?

[NameChangedOct24]

My DS is age 8 and falls into 95th centile overweight BMI on child growth charts. To me he doesn’t look overweight, is it possible that he is still healthy despite the chart and I’m not deluded….ill try to upload a pic.

He looks fairly overweight to me, his stomach is big and generally he looks a lot older than 8 in terms of his body

In fact. Is that really an 8yr old child. He looks about 14

When I was 21, I was ridiculously skinny. (for those who can remember Jane Norman, their size 8 hung off me)
My aunt wanted me hospitalised because I was skeletal.
I was 5ft 2 and 9 stone. According to bmi, I was overweight by a stone!
BMI is the trigger for eating disorders in my opinion

I don’t think you should share pictures of a child and ask internet strangers to comment on their weight. See your GP if you are concerned.

He has a belly overhang, to be frank yes he is overweight op.

That doesn't look like any 8 year old I know.

My 14 year old is 99th centile.
If I change his age to 18 his bmi is perfect. It makes no sense to me and your son looks fine.

BMI is useful as a population-level screening tool, but it isn't very good as a diagnostic for an individual. There are better ways to measure health, though I'm not sure if the waist-to-height ratio works for children.

He looks a well built boy op. Some Dc are really seriously scrawny and to their parents he probably could look overly heavy. He looks to be like a boy who is going to be a tall, well built type. It’s often the little scrawny ones who don’t end up with much height and go to fat by their mid thirties

Definitely overweight - he has a large flabby belly overhanging his shorts. He looks like a man with middle aged spread.

Thanks all, yes definitely 8 years, wears 9-10 clothes. 35kg and 135cm tall

I think a child can be overweight and healthy, yes. Because sometimes their height and weight don't grow evenly. I know 2 little girls personally, one aged 10 and one aged 11 who are tall, elegant, slim but not skinny girls. As younger children, both were very overweight. One got a warning letter from school aged 5 saying she was dangerously overweight. They looked big too, it wasn't a muscular thing. Both do hours of dance and gymnastics every week and have an otherwise healthy lifestyle. They've always been healthy, they just needed to grow into their weight.

Oh lawks, the first commenters really are bastards on this one.

BMI is a hugely clumsy tool for a start. You know your kid better than anyone, his fitness and diet etc. Both of mine were absolute podges at that age, both are now STILL fit and healthy but are a different shape (24 & 16).

I don't think that's true - overweight children load their height early and then stop growing and don't reach their full height potential.

Being scrawny due to malnourishment will also limit adult height. But there's a lot of middle ground between the two

Are you looking at the same picture I'm looking at?

Utterly ridiculous statement.

OP didn't ask if her son was overweight, she knows he is. She asked if he could be overweight and healthy at the same time.

Children who end up very tall are usually on the upper centiles right from birth.

You are right, sorry op, I think he could be healthy and overweight but only because puberty can come along and help sort that out with a growth spurt and encouragement from parents supporting an appropriate diet and exercise.

Could you talk to your GP about how you could achieve this without causing emotional issues with him?

9 stone at 5'2" isn't overweight, it's in the middle of a healthy BMI. 10 stone is a bit overweight.

BMI isn't the trigger for EDs, there are many, many different factors which result in EDs.

If you looked skeletal at a stone over your healthy BMI there were likely other factors at play.

There’s no way of knowing that from a picture. Probably at that young age. But weight issues in childhood can lead to issues later in life so good to seek professional advice if concerned.

To me he doesn’t look overweight, is it possible that he is still healthy despite the chart and I’m not deluded

She is saying his weight falls into the overweight category but that she doesn’t think he looks overweight.

I don’t think he looks unhealthy oP.

eta I agree however with the poster who said best not to post your Dc image and get comments from strangers. The nasty ones have already started. I’d ask to get this taken down.

I am astounded at some of these comments. He looks absolutely fine. He is due a big growth spurt very soon and will look skinny I guarantee it. I don't like BMI as a standard especially for kids. I think it is more important to focus on a well balanced diet not too many treats and plenty of movement. If you are concerned speak to your GP but I think he is fine. God some people are very rude he is a child.

No he doesn't! He might be a bit chubby but his belly doesn't overhang his shorts