to be sad to see an obese toddler?

[NigellaTufnel]

Was in the park today, and there was a little girl who looked about 18+ months and obese. Now, I know that there may be health issues, and if that is the case I do feel guilty about Mrs Judgey pants, but it did make me feel a bit funny, that this poor thing's weight was not being managed.

And yes, she was clutching a 'drink that must not be named'.

However, I think that I was disturbed because there was lots of casual smacking of the child by her mother, shouting, and rough handling.

So, do you ever judge anyone else's child handling skills? I was quite shocked at myself.

Stig - a moving and thought provoking post.

Riven: I walked everywhere in high heels too I used to walk home as well all up hill for 2 miles]! Great way to sober up though!

Well I was "under age" for the first couple of years I did it. Yep, just like me - pointed toes and 4" stilettos!

plus years ago children would go outside and play chase/go on bikes etc

now they seem to laze about indoors and watch tv/play on ds/play station etc

Some kids are chubby by nature.

It's when you see them in a buggy with their hands in a large pack of crisps (and I mean the larger 'share' size). The parents need a slap. I saw one chomping his was through a large pack of M&Ms - one of the big packets that you get at the cinema). He was being pushed around the supermarket in a pram (he was probably about 4) and ate the whole lot by the time he got to the checkout.

I don't really see anything wrong with a reception age child or younger being in a pushchair tbh if you do a lot of walking and need to get from A to B in a short amount of time. A large cinema packet of sweets though is ridiculous for a child of that age.

wahwahwah: Define "chubby". It seems a lot of parents can't.

Buggies are fine for little ones - it's just you sometimes feel like yelling 'get up and walk or you'll end up like a weebles wobble'. Sweeties are definately getting bigger. As are the kids.

So often I have heard parents say 'it's just puppy fat' as they pass the child a mars bar.

I suppose if you need to buy clothes much older for the child (and not because they are tall) then that should be a bit of a warning.

Lucia - I define ds2 as chubby because though he is within the correct weight range for his height, albeit at the upper end, he has a small roll of fat round his tummy, slight moobs and a little double chin. I think if he stayed the same weight and grew 2 or 3 inches, he'd be the ideal weight for his height.

Can I ask with regard to height and weight charts - surely if a child was 50th centile in height but 98th in weight then the child would be overweight and vice versa would be underweight. So being on the 98th centile for height and weight doesn't constitute being overweight let alone obese? It is about proportion, like BMI is a better indicator of healthy weight than weight alone.

And I have seen some BIG children (babies and toddlers, older children is slightly different) but none that I would ever call obese. Maybe I just haven't seen any obese ones.

That's right fizzpops, DS has gone up to 91st centile in weight, but in height too. No chubbier than when he was on 50th centile three months ago as he's got taller as well as heavier.

I have no idea what a healthy portion size is, for me or DS. Thankfully he leaves a lot rather than gets fat, but that won't last, and I'm staying fat because I eat his leftovers.
I've actually lost some weight in the last three weeks, and am painfully aware that I need to get fit soon before my difficulties impact on my son.

I feel so bad for overweight children, it's such a horrid thing that never leaves you, and the sooner something is done the better the chance of a lasting change.

I try not to judge as am painfully aware both my parents are obese. My dad has always been portly but my mother used to be very slim, has fallen into the middle aged spread trap. (Before anyone starts getting snide, she knows she doesn't take enough exercise, OK?)

However, even I did it with a family that lived on my old street. Father, mother, four kids from 10 down to two, all bursting at the seams and coming out of the corner shop with gallons of coke, crisps and chocolate. Thing was they were not round so much as oblong! It was very odd. (But I told myself to stop, rather than enjoying a good judge.)

Riven: '10 stone and 5 foot 10'

I don't think the majority of obese families who you see going into McDonalds to get their next fix of crap, or chucking multi packs of crisps and pizzas into their trolley in the supermarket are suffering from self esteem issues, or feel any "shame" about it. I think the parents are making poor choices and are guilty of passing the effects of this on to their unfortunate children.

So yes, I do judge. No-one is forcing them to eat this rubbish, there are other options and other ways of living.