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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Dd is gaining weight rapidly and I don’t know why

305 replies

megabrilliant · 26/02/2026 15:21

I weighed my dd today she is 10 and weighs 7 stone 2 at 4 foot 8 which puts her at 96 centile.
I weighed myself at the same time and I was 7 stone 1 which at 5’2 makes me marginally underweight but only by a couple of lb.
My 8 year old was only 4 stone something and smack bang in the healthy range.
I just don’t understand and I know people must think I feed her junk but I give them both the same breakfast, same packed lunch and cook them the same dinner and so if anything the youngest eats more for her age as she eats the same size meals.
I walk them to and from school each day which is about 15 minutes each way so that’s half an hour exercise and they both do activities out of school plus we go swimming and are quite an active family generally.
No sweet drinks or junk food.

An average day will look like this.

Breakfas
2 pieces of toast and spread or bowl of porridge or very occasionally a croissant or hot cross bun for a change.

Packed lunch
Sandwich or wrap with ham or cheese.
yogurt
piece of fruit
cereal bar for snack at break and water.

Dinner
Meat, all fresh like chicken breast or pork chops, veg, potato or rice or pasta, occasionally beans but rarely.

If they are hungry later they have fruit or cheese or cracker type biscuits but other than that I can’t see how she is ballooning in weight.
I used to give her size 6 clothes I didn’t wear anymore because she fitted in them and now she doesn’t and I’m buying primary school uniform in age 15 online and she’s in teen clothes, I bought a coat in age 15 and she’s struggling to do the zip up.
Her teeth are good, she isn’t a good sleeper but is there anything else I can do for her or is she just a bit bigger but can that still be healthy, I think people think it’s neglect and I’m giving her the wrong food but we all eat the same.

OP posts:
Idontspeakgermansorry · 26/02/2026 15:27

How does she actually look? Does she look overweight?

Amba1998 · 26/02/2026 15:28

This is one for the GP if you are concerned

Greeygoooose · 26/02/2026 15:29

She is only just into the overweight range. It's possible she'll have a growth spurt and it will even out.

Stop worrying about people thinking you're feeding her junk, other people's opinions are totally irrelevant.

If her weight gain has been very rapid it might be worth speaking to a GP in case there is a medical reason, but do it without her present so that she doesn't worry about her weight. At her age it would be very damaging for her to feel any shame associated with it.

Buy her clothes that fit, whatever size that is, without commenting on how big they are etc.

Other than that, it's just the usual advice - plenty of exercise (find what is fun for her and do it lots), portion control and plenty of fruit and veg.

Iloveeverycat · 26/02/2026 15:30

Idontspeakgermansorry · 26/02/2026 15:27

How does she actually look? Does she look overweight?

This. why are you weighing her. I never weighed any of my 4 ever.

Peonies12 · 26/02/2026 15:31

for their sake; please immediately throw your scales away. Fixating on numbers is only going to damage her body confidence. My mum never had scales in the houses and I never will. It’s very bizarre weighing your children.

nondrinker1985 · 26/02/2026 15:32

Why you weighing her? Your whole post smacks of disordered eating to me - and that’s you.

stichguru · 26/02/2026 15:33

My boy put on weight like this, then he grew upwards by several inches and now he looks like a healthy weight again.

MidnightMeltdown · 26/02/2026 15:34

Could she be eating things you don’t know about? Pocket money spent in school vendors or canteen? Taking snacks from cupboard that you don’t know about?

ThinkIMightRetire · 26/02/2026 15:34

She’s about the enter puberty, will have a growth spurt and probably become a willowy young woman. Leave her alone and don’t do anything to make her think there’s anything wrong with her size or her diet. It’s very easy to trigger disordered thinking about food without meaning to.

Babsandherwabs · 26/02/2026 15:35

Don’t make it a problem OP. Fair enough if there actually is a problem… but is there?? Tweens have been ‘slightly overweight’ forever - for all you know she’s about to have a growth spurt, don’t let her come out of it with body issues.

megabrilliant · 26/02/2026 15:35

I have never weighed her before I just wanted to know her weight so I could see how serious it was / or wasn’t.

OP posts:
megabrilliant · 26/02/2026 15:37

Idontspeakgermansorry · 26/02/2026 15:27

How does she actually look? Does she look overweight?

She does look big but it mostly her stomach

OP posts:
faerylights · 26/02/2026 15:37

You say you're underweight - are you sure you don't have any disordered eating patterns yourself that could be impacting her?

Panda368 · 26/02/2026 15:40

You are only comparing her to you. What is her dads build/other side of the family like are they taller/ more stocky?

She's probably on the edge of a growth spurt and about to start her periods stop comparing her to you and her younger sister. Stop weighing her.

SlipperStar · 26/02/2026 15:40

This reply has been deleted

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boccaallupo · 26/02/2026 15:41

Both of my daughters gained a lot of puppy fat around that age just prior to going through puberty and then slimmed down again once their periods started. It could be that

Giraffemug30 · 26/02/2026 15:42

Is she gaining weight rapidly? You've only mentioned her weight today? How is your weight relevant?

I think BMI for children is a poor indicator, if she was an adult and weighed that at that height she'd be slap bang in the middle of healthy. 10yr old grow at different rates and many 10 year olds are about to go through puberty/have a growth spurt. If her diet is healthy and she's active I wouldn't be weighing her or comparing her weight to yours, especially when you are underweight

ThaQuilomum · 26/02/2026 15:45

I cant understand the age 15 clothes at 4 foot 8 and 7 stone 2. How are they fitting her? I am 5 foot 3 and weight 10 stone and can fit into age 15 clothes no bother often buy kids stuff in h and m if I cant find what I'm looking for in adults.

megabrilliant · 26/02/2026 15:46

MidnightMeltdown · 26/02/2026 15:34

Could she be eating things you don’t know about? Pocket money spent in school vendors or canteen? Taking snacks from cupboard that you don’t know about?

No, she has a small amount of pocket money but it lives in her purse which in the kitchen drawer and she doesn’t take it to school or any other money.

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 26/02/2026 15:46

You must be tiny if you are a grown woman and weigh only 7 stone. So no way should you be comparing your DD's weight to yours.,

Darkladyofthesonnets · 26/02/2026 15:46

So your 10 year old daughter despite what sounds like an okay diet has put on a lot of weight, mostly on her stomach? Children do enter puberty earlier these days. Is there any chance whatsoever she could be pregnant?

megabrilliant · 26/02/2026 15:48

faerylights · 26/02/2026 15:37

You say you're underweight - are you sure you don't have any disordered eating patterns yourself that could be impacting her?

No not at all, I eat lots and I have always been the same.

OP posts:
Love2read12 · 26/02/2026 15:50

Peonies12 · 26/02/2026 15:31

for their sake; please immediately throw your scales away. Fixating on numbers is only going to damage her body confidence. My mum never had scales in the houses and I never will. It’s very bizarre weighing your children.

Edited

i think by the sounds of it you and the other posters have problem with weight. To weigh yourself isn’t a problem or your children. They are weighed when born and also via HC visits to check on growth. The op didn’t say she weighs her daily or even obsessively. The implication that she is some sort of fool for using a tool to measure the child’s weight/height bmi etc is ridiculous. oP id speak to your doctor on here you will only get the scales police out in force.

Biscuits4 · 26/02/2026 15:50

Unless she seems in any way unwell, I wouldn't worry about it now. She's entering puberty and her body is naturally storing extra to help with that.

When I was at school I was one of the bigger girls in my class - like you, I'm now slightly underweight (7st 3lbs) - I haven't had to starve myself to keep to this weight in later life.

megabrilliant · 26/02/2026 15:51

Giraffemug30 · 26/02/2026 15:42

Is she gaining weight rapidly? You've only mentioned her weight today? How is your weight relevant?

I think BMI for children is a poor indicator, if she was an adult and weighed that at that height she'd be slap bang in the middle of healthy. 10yr old grow at different rates and many 10 year olds are about to go through puberty/have a growth spurt. If her diet is healthy and she's active I wouldn't be weighing her or comparing her weight to yours, especially when you are underweight

She has gained a lot in the last few months, my and my youngest weight was relevant to show that we all eat the same so I am not over feeding or feeding her the wrong things or we’d all be the same so it must be something else.

OP posts: