My child's obese : /

[Youcanhumpmyleg]

Arghhhh Ava's always been tall she's the tallest in her class she's 116cm and weighs 4 stones !!! Nhs website says this is obese, she does pig out and is pretty active what else can I do to keep her weight down, she does look chubby but I never thought it an issue till I weighed her this morning !! Anyone in the same position ?

I agree that it sounds like it is her portions.

DD is just 4 and yesterday she had:

Breakfast: 1 weetabix with full fat milk and a small bowl of melon

Snack at pre-school: glass of milk and a couple of slices of apple

Lunch: Chicken sandwich (1 slice of bread), small yogurt (50ml) and an apple

After-swimming snack: 3 chocolate fingers

Dinner: Beef casserole (portion approximately the size of my fist).

Her weekly activities are swimming lesson, ballet, Tumbletots and football skills lesson. In addition she is learning to ride her bike, goes to softplay at least once a week, and is out in the garden virtually every day bouncing on her trampoline. She never stops.

I'm sure you can sort this out easily, so don't panic. Hope your GP can help.

She is definitely looking chubbier with age and she hasn't maintained her build at all. There is that extra layer of padding around her face, arms and tummy that is clearly visible from the photo's. That said I'm not sure she looks four stone - that's 48lbs or 22kgs. My 7.4 yo boy doesn't even weigh that. You're right to want to do something about this now. I suspect portion sizes will turn out to be the problem. Given how active most children are at school, top actually gain weight means she is seriously over eating calories. No two ways about it. For your own purposes keep a diary of every mouthful of food and drink she has for a whole fortnight and analyse it closely. I expect you 'll be amazed. Only with that information will you be able to make plans for healthier eating for the whole family.

Actually reading back over this thread, are totally, absolutely sure you've got all the measurements right? As some one else mentioned, if you have she is seriously off the charts, not just tall or heavy, but abnormally off the charts. And she doesn't look that from the photos. So perhaps remeasure again and see what you get?

You should get her to the GP on accurate scales (or maybe down to Boots and use one of their machines?) - if you were using the normal dial style ones (where you get on and they whizz round) rather than digital they are notoriously inaccurate - especially at the lower and upper ends of their scale.

I can't see the photos but would be a but if a 3yo was 4st as that is what my tall 7yo weighs.

Could you speak to hv rather than g.p as they might be able to assess and give you more time for diet and exercise advice. Also with my dd she would go through a slightly chubby phase before having a growth spurt and evening out again, does your dd do that?

yes she does girliefriend, ill get her on some decent scales

If it helps my dd (7yo) on an average day eats;

breakfast
bowl of cereal - small, sometimes a piece of toast as well, sometimes a slice of melon.

midmorning
fruit at school

lunch
1 roll with cheese spread
1/2 bag of crisps
yogurt
fuit bar/flakes

tea
a cooked meal - always served on a small plate, portion size small I would say and she rarely finishes it all.
pudding, yogurt, rice pudding, banana and custard or similar

will sometimes also have supper, usually glass of milk and a small yogurt or fruit.

She is allowed sweets once a week and I am more relaxed at weekends.

The main thing is allowing her to self regulate so stop when she is full and not put too much food on her plate.

hth

I've flicked through this, and I don't think anyone else has said this so:

If you have a child who is overeating (and 2 slices of toast and scrambled egg is double what I'd give) then they don't just put on the weight, they also may grow early. That is early, not taller in the end. So the parent looks at them and says "a little overweight, but they're tall too so it doesn't matter".
BUT they then hit a height and stop growing upwards, and just grow outwards. And thats when the real weight problems can begin. Because they're used to big portions, and tummy has stretched to take big portions so they feel hungry if they don't get that.

And 4 stone is very large. Just looked back at my dd1 book. SHe's not naturally thin, and was always tall at that age (91%) but only weighed 4 stone at 7yo.
Dd2 who is very tall (97%) is only 4.5stone at 9.6yo. But she is naturally thin.

Definitely get her measured by gp or hv.

I never saw your photos but I do understand you wondering if you see your dd as she is. My dd was a fat little thing from when she started on solids till she was 5. She had an big appetite and she loved her carbs. Now she is 8 and she is skinny and precisely on the average with height and weight for her age. I never worried too much about her weight when she was little, but looking back at photos I can now see that she was quite chubby!

Diet changes: I cut down on "empty" carbs like bread, potatoes and I simply stopped buying pasta. I upped her fat and protein intake (good oils and butter) and I think this worked because it is better "fuel" than carbs and it is more satiating. She always loved her fruit and veg and always had plenty. The diet change was for the whole family and not just for her and it wasn't because I wanted her to lose weight. And it was gradually.

To a certain extent, I think she will grow out. She will have growth spurts and that should sort it. Good luck!

I have nothing about her diet to add but just wanted to say well done OP! You sound like such a sensible mum, you haven't taken offence at anything that's been said and listened to all options thoughtfully.

So often you see threads on here with parents outraged at the idea that their child could be overweight, it's non of anyone else's business anyway, how dare people judge me. You are a refreshing change.

If DH and I are ever run over by a bus, will you adopt my children please?

get her to hv or GP for a check up to be weighed and measures properly and ask for referral to community dietician - first keep a food diary for a week with every singl e things she eats and drinks to show. the dietician will help you review her diet and see if there is anything needs changing.

they can then tell you whether her calorie intake is ok.

they might also do some blood tests to check eg thryoid etc .

why is she going to an office with dad, better to goto a nursery ?

My dd was told by school nurse that she was overweight age 4 on school entry but that was just a but of baby chubbyness! She was on the 95th centile she's now just 9 amd weighs 4 and a quarter stone so not much heavier than your 3 year old so I do think she needs to lose a bit of weight. Exercise will be the best bet, try some long walks and bike and scooter rides

DS is 5.5stone and is 9 in November. He can take an adult dose size of medicine because of his weight so I would say a 3 year old weighing 4 stone is huge. DS is the heaviest out of his friends too.

Look up how many calories are in the bread and eggs and I bet butter you give her for breakfast and take this away from her daily allowance and I bet it is more than a third.

My DS eats;
A slice of toast and glass of milk or ok for breakfast.
Satsuma or slice of banana and walnut cake for snack time.
One round of sandwich, yogurt, crudités and carton of juice for lunch.
Snack when he gets home, either packet of quavers, carrot crisp puff things or cup of tea and 3 Bourbon biscuits.
Dinner is pasta and sauce or meat and veg or salad, normal family things.

DS will overeat if you let him though, I have to watch his portion size because he eats so fast that he will gobble his food down and all of a sudden be stuffed.

I do think you are over feeding your daughter. Portion size is a huge issue and if you have a SW mindset which is you can eat all of this wow and still lose weight I think maybe your perspective could be a little off.

Maybe keep a food diary and then work out calorific value of things to get a proper picture?

I missed the photos - it's good you are looking at it though and aren't 'in denial' - hopefully your scales are wrong