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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

DD is overweight and I am not sure why

24 replies

BrigitteBardot · 25/02/2010 14:19

DD (3) has always been in the 95% to 100% on the charts for weight and height. She was measured and weighed yesterday and her height has now settled (she is 98cm tall)but her weight is now outside the charts.
Her BMI is 19.5, which is too much for a 3 y/o. She does look a little chubby, but nothing dramatic.
The thing is, she doesn't drink anything else than water, eats only a couple of biscuits a day, no sweets, only home-cooked food.
It has to be about the quantities.
I would like to go and see a nutritionnist but Dh categorically refuses. He doesn't want to medicalise it. And I can see his point.
We've decided to reduce her portions and to cut down the treats (not that there were many!).

Sorry for the rambling. I guess I am wondering if anyone else had the same issues that got resolved after a few months?

OP posts:

ilove · 25/02/2010 14:21

I'd say leave it, I bet she is due to grow upwards then will chub again before shooting up.

Original poster

BrigitteBardot · 25/02/2010 14:23

Thanks. I keep alternating between wanting to leave it as she only eats good stuff, and not wanting to let a problem develop. Not easy.

OP posts:

Tortington · 25/02/2010 14:24

exercise. 3 year olds should usually run round everywhere ime.

nothing wrong in wet weather with geting wrapped up and just kicking a ball about in the garden or walking to the park etc.

( you may ofcourse already do this)

but my children ate anything and everything until they were full - but burned it off becuase they ran everwhere as a matter of course.

also whilst your husnband may not want to medicalise it - it may well be a bloody medical problem - so i would see the docs.

castille · 25/02/2010 14:27

Yes it sounds like she has a good diet but just eats too much at each meal. She is probably of "solid" build too if she doesn't look particularly fat.

Reducing her portion size (without telling her what you are doing), particularly of carbs, is definitely the best route at this stage.

Original poster

BrigitteBardot · 25/02/2010 14:28

I have told him we would get her measured again in 3/4 months and if nothing has changed then I would go and see someone.
The exercise is a good point. I think she probably doesn't have enough. We do get a lot of rain and it's a good excuse to stay inside.
I will be working on this!

OP posts:

Tee2072 · 25/02/2010 14:30

Do.Not.Ever.Go.By.BMI. Its bullsh*t. Especially for a 3 year old.

Is she eating right? Running around and playing some every day?

Then she's fine.

Original poster

BrigitteBardot · 25/02/2010 14:34

She eats very well. A lot of fresh fruits and veg, no sweets, sodas, chocolate, crisps etc... Maybe too many carbs.

She does play and run every day. But we probably could improve on this.

OP posts:

Tortington · 25/02/2010 14:35

i wouldn't cut carbs at all - i wouldn't cut anything - carbs are needed. i wouldn't cut anything - if she's hungry she's hungry. You know yourself honestly if you are feeding her too many biscuits - but if you are telling us that the has 3 decent meals a day and just 2 biscuits as a snack - then either there is something medically wrong with her or she sits on her arse all day? Or you do feed her shit ut don't want to admit it - or admit the amount.

Bonsoir · 25/02/2010 14:36

At three you can start building up her walking stamina and definitely reduce carbs. Take her to the climbing frame as well, as they can start on some basic gymnastics at 3.

Original poster

BrigitteBardot · 25/02/2010 14:40

She never has more than 2 biscuits a day except birthdays or special days. And she does eat very very well. That I am sure of as I spent half my free time cooking for my kids. It's all fresh stuff. I even get plain yoghurts, and plain biscuits FGS!
The quantities might be a bit much, especially at breakfast, but nothing insane.
As I said, maybe she doesn't move enough, although at nursery she runs outside for at least an hour a day and with me, I'll make sure we go out at least an hour every day.

OP posts:

Original poster

BrigitteBardot · 25/02/2010 14:43

She does love walking. Maybe we should go for a post-lunch stroll everyday.

OP posts:

Missus84 · 25/02/2010 14:43

BMI isn't a very accurate tool, especially in children.

Bonsoir · 25/02/2010 14:45

That's a very good idea. Anything that gets her moving, basically.

Children's need to move around is something that adults don't always get. My DD (5) is hyper energetic - this week she has been ski-ing twice a day (including three hours one to one with a ski instructor) and swimming twice a day (for at least an hour each time) and still only goes to bed at 10 and wakes before the alarm at 7.30 am! I couldn't do a quarter of that.

nulgirl · 25/02/2010 14:46

Mmm. Not sure. My dd is 3 and is 99cm with a bmi of 17.9 which is less than your dd's. To have a bmi of 19.5 she must weigh about 19kg. My dd weighs 17.5 and I am aware that my dd is looking quite chubby at the moment and am making a conscious effort to reduce snacks and increase the exercise. I am getting her to scoot to and from nursery and am taking her to the park in spite of the cold weather. She did no exercise for a month over xmas and was aware that her weight shot up and her fitness levels decreased.

I want to avert any problem before it gets bad and make exercise a normal part of her routine. Not sure I would see a dietician but certainly make an effort to get her more mobile and as others have said look at portion control. My dd would naturally be quite lazy so I needed to find something to motivate her. She loves her scooter and would go for hours.

CarGirl · 25/02/2010 14:52

it's quite common/normal for dc to grow outwards and then shoot up, they don't grow at a static rate.

As long as she isn't in the habit of clearing her plate as a matter of course and will sometimes say "no I'm full/had enough" then she may just be a solid child.

One of mine has always been on a higher centile for weight than height and 2 of the others are the complete opposite......

witchwithallthetrimmings · 25/02/2010 14:53

i am and at the idea of putting a 3 YEAR OLD on any kind of diet.
If she eats well and does exercise and does not look particulary chubby then there will only be a problem if you start telling her she has one.

Original poster

BrigitteBardot · 25/02/2010 15:01

She weighs 18.5kg. And she looks a little chubby tbh.
And she does clear her plate and sometimes ask for more stuff while she already has had plenty.
I have NEVER told her she had a problem or even discussed it in her presence. We don't make an issue of food either.
I will cut down on some of the portions without having her go hungry in any way and mostly get her to move more, and I will see how she is in a few months time.

OP posts:

MoreCrackThanHarlem · 25/02/2010 15:12

I am that you are being told to cut back on carbs or restrict good, healthy food for a 3yo.

If medical problems are ruled out the only thing you should do is increase her activity imo.
Swimming, dancing, bike riding, walking everywhere etc etc.
At 3 she should be on the go all the time.

Ivykaty44 · 25/02/2010 15:12

tbh If you know that you are really really not feeding her to much and are feeding her proper food..

my dd was 28ilb by 12 months - by the time she was two i was told she was overweight, I knew she would grow upwards and I also knew she was a pfb and did caragoricly not have sweets or puddings.

she put on two pounds in the year between two and three and when I took her back for her yearly check she was well within the range of weight for height.

dd is now 17 and nearly 5f10 and nine stone

dd2 just wasn't as big - and yet as she wasn't my pfb I let her have sweets and cakes and even biscuits...yet she stayed well within the perimiters for the red book - she did as she was suppoed to and had obviuosly red the book so knew what to do thankfuly

so I hth

Original poster

BrigitteBardot · 25/02/2010 15:22

I have doubts about the quantity. That's why I would have loved to see a nutritionnist.
she doesn't have seconds but she does finish her plate most of the time. I obviously don't want her to be hungry.

I think that she doesn't move enough, from what you all said. So we'll be working on this mainly.

OP posts:

Kewcumber · 25/02/2010 15:40

my DS is 4 about 102 cm high and weighs about 13kg and is slimmer than most (though not all of his friends).

Home cooked doesn't mean that its food she should be eating IME most adults give childrne portions that are far too big. I have seen 4 years olds presented with as much on a plate as an adult would eat. Which is fine if they exercise laods but not otherwise.

I'm surprised so many people seem to think being an overweight (call it chubby if you all prefer!) is fine and you should wait for it to sort itself out , how long do you wait? You should change habvits now.

I think your approach is sensible BB, you accept she might have aweight issue and want to do something about it before it becomes a problme. Increasing exercise is the way to go and referral to a dietician if it doesn't start working

Original poster

BrigitteBardot · 25/02/2010 15:54

Thank you. It's not an easy subject. She is so young and we don't want food to be an issue.

OP posts:

justallovertheplace · 25/02/2010 15:57

What exercise does she do? In a way I am fortunate that we don't drive as my dc walk everywhere which I think must make a difference and help in the weight department

Kewcumber · 25/02/2010 16:00

I handle DS would would gorge on chocolate given the opportunity by explaining about food that is good for growing and building bones and muscle and food that is nice to taste but doesn;t help growing (and of course the very special food like spag bol that is good for both!). Luckily he is obsessed with getting bigger so is happy to focus on foods that are good for him with a moderate amount of chocolate.

I'm also lucky that he has a natural off switch when he's had enough so if he's hungry I know he definteily needs more. And he's a fidgit bottom so he burns it off fairly easily.

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