Two Year old “overweight”

[oopsididitagain66]

My son had his two year review last week, at which his weight and height was recorded. The nurse went on to tell me that after working out his BMI which was “very high” so he was overweight and suggested I see a nutritionist. He is a healthy happy boy, maybe a bit on the chunky side but absolutely nothing unusual in my eyes. I assume by pointing us towards a nutritionist it was to help him lose weight. I politely declined as he has a very healthy, varied diet at home and eats well.

Is this the norm?

I’m not sure. I don’t remember having a two year review for mine.

Are you and/or his dad overweight?

I think by suggesting a nutritionist they just have to be seen to be doing something, given how many overweight families there are.

By very high what does this actually mean? What centile was he born on? What is he on now? Keeping in mind that centiles actually mean that someone can be perfectly healthy if at the high end if this reflects their parents and their birth weight etc.

I think putting a two year old on a diet is alarming unless there's a real issue. Unfortunately there's a lot of shit HCP in this area who haven't got the foggiest what they are talking about. They've clearly not explained what they think the problem is to you well.

What are his portion sizes like? Cos that's what I'd focus on and that's something you can do without the bullshit.

If a health professional thinks he's overweight then please don't decline the support. 2 year olds shouldn't be chunky.

There are some really alarmingly overweight 2 year olds around.

It could be a fuss over nothing; you could be underestimating his size and the healthiness of what he eats; or he could have a medical condition making him larger. None of us know.

happened with my son, his legs and arms are fine he's always had a belly.
he has slimmed down as he's got older. Not as skinny as majority of his age but he's fine.

at first I was scared, didn't put him on a diet as such but I was more aware of putting more veg on his plate than usual.
hes always been active but tried to up the out door time.

i think just being abit more aware of what he's having and exercise and he'll be fine.
i agree that it's a tick box they have to do and it's something you can control unless he is extremely overweight

He has been consistently on the 95th centile since 6 months old.
I didn’t even know doing BMI at this age was a thing. I think his portion sizes are normal and he eats lots of fruit and veg. Still very fond of his (cows) milk so maybe I’ll look at cutting this back a bit.

"maybe a bit on the chunky side" . It doesn't take much to tip a toddler into overweight.

If you and his dad have overweight BMI's then there's a risk he will grow up carrying too much weight too.

We both have a normal BMI

Our perception of what a normal weight child looks like is skewed by the fact that as a population we are more overweight. Your child doesn't necessarily stand out in your eyes.

I would just be very factual. Weigh and measure your child and use the NHS BMI for age calculator, which is designed to be used for children. I assume this is what the HV has done but if you disagree it's worth checking. If he is overweight, it will likely be due to what he is eating at home - too many packaged snacks or portion sizes too big perhaps. The nutritionist may be helpful if you don't know what needs to change.

Is he quite clearly very fat or just a normal chunky 2 year old? Despite what people have said here, it is normal for toddlers to be chubby. I once expressed some concern about my toddler DD’s BMI to a paediatrician, and she said they don’t worry about it at that age. She was a very chunky 2 year old, and now at 8 she is like a beanpole. I’d be inclined to take no notice.

My son’s BMI at his Reception checks was high enough to warrant a letter home from the NHS but I could see every rib so I was bemused, ignored it and continued trying to feed him up! But you describe your son as ‘chunky’, so I think you’re not in the ‘ignore BMI, it’s flawed’ category. If she’s mentioned it, he is likely to be beyond the ‘chunky’ level statistically. People are really bad at recognising that their children are overweight and what seems normal to you is not necessarily actually ‘normal’ or healthy. As a PP said, it may be that the portions you are giving are too big, or perhaps a lot of fruit or other high sugar ‘healthy’ snacks? If you’re genuinely happy that you are giving him appropriately sized portions of healthy foods without too much sugar, naturally occurring or otherwise, then ignore their advice. But I would want to be really confident that I had checked what the recommended portions and quantities of different food types were first.

How much fruit does he eat? Fruit is pretty high in sugar, so don't let him have unlimited fruit. Unlimited veg would be better.

Maybe increase his activity levels somewhat too.

I wouldn't refuse dietician help if my child was overweight, nip it in the bud now before it gets out of hand.

I was a massively over weight child and adult, it took everything I had in me to loose the (11stone) excess weight in my late 20s. I will do absolutely everything in my power for that not to be my kids future.

I don’t understand why you would decline the nutritionist? It’s just a conversation and there may possibly be some things you are doing that could be tweaked. If his diet is good then it will reassure on right lines.
If HV had suggested you have a follow up apt re his eyes or hearing you would.

Is he quite short? Can you see his ribs? Does he have a belly overhang?

Is your DS tall for his age? If he's in 95th percentile for weight he should also be in 95th per entire for height. I'd reduce portion size very slightly and add more veg to his plate. I'd cut back his milk. If he's eating well he doesn't need lots of milk anymore.

If he's breastfed he'd be more likely to seem "chunky" compared to other babies and toddlers. Mine always seemed to develop a thicker waist over the winter before stretching taller around now and through the summer. If he's eating nutritious food and is mobile then maybe he's getting ready to have a growth spurt in the spring.

I assume HV was offering a referral to a nutritionist? That’s not putting a child on a diet as such - I’d have taken her up on it - what’s the harm?

Why on earth would I refuse help for a child?

I wouldn’t be worried if he’s eating healthily. All my husbands brother and sisters were 10 and 11lb babies , chunky toddlers Aged 3/4 tall bean poles . Now tall athletic . My kids always over 95th percentile height and heigh percentile weight.

youngest aged 5 now a waif and eats more then I do , my nine year old had put on a lot of weight but she’s really tall and carries it well mostly tummy , like me I expect early puberty and she’ll lose the extra naturally . Doctor isint concerned she runs track and is very fit. Your little boy is just storing a bit for a rainy day like my Nana used to say . I thinks it’s crackers that a nutritionist was suggested. .

People have forgotten what a normal weight child looks like. You are supposed to be able to see a child’s ribs. If they say he’s overweight then he is! I don’t know why you’d decline a nutritionist-if his diet is perfect they will tell you that when you go and you’ll be vindicated.

It's the norm if a child is outside of a healthy weight range.
The dietician won't try to get your 2 year old to lose weight, they will just advise you on foods and portion sizes so that he doesn't put more weight on until his height catches up.

Thank you, I have no doubt that he is overweight according to his BMI and I’m not denying that he is.
And just to be clear, I have nothing against a nutritionist referral and would absolutely consider it if I felt it was necessary. At the moment, though, I don’t feel that it is, he’s following a consistent growth curve, meeting all his milestones, and I’m confident that his diet is healthy, nutritious, and low in ultra-processed foods.

Sounds like it is just a portion size issue then, you can cut those down on your own, up the veg. If you are giving bottles then drop them to one small cup of milk a day.