Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

BMI calculators. Should I take them seriously?

22 replies

shivermetimbers · 03/07/2009 09:45

Just weighed and measured my dd and plotted her on BMI calculator, one says she is over weight, another says healthy weight.
Should I ignore them both and use my own judgement. As an obese parent it is an important issue.

OP posts:
CMOTdibbler · 03/07/2009 09:47

Are you using a childrens BMI calculator ? They are different to adults

ronshar · 03/07/2009 09:49

Is there any particular reason why you are doing this?
Has your child not been weighed etc at school.
If your child is healthy, doesn't eat a load of crap every day then surely you have nothing to worry about.
Put away the tape measure and try not to give your child issues about their body image.

Original poster
shivermetimbers · 03/07/2009 09:49

Yes, both were childrens ones.

OP posts:
Original poster
shivermetimbers · 03/07/2009 09:53

Yes there is a reason, and i am aware it is not a good one, it is because I am obese and so desperately want her not to be.

OP posts:
ronshar · 03/07/2009 10:02

Sorry when I re read my post again I realise it sounded a bit short.
I have looked at your profile. You are very pretty and your daughter is beautiful.
I suppose you have to ask yourself a few questions.
Is it for your DD's benefit that you are doing it or yours?
What do you hope to find out?
If your DD did come out as overweight what, if anything, would you do about it?
As an obease parent are you tackling your issues with food and weight?

Also the most important thing is to look at your DD's diet. Does it contain sweets, crisps, rubbish cereals? Do you cook fresh food or processed? What portion size do you serve?

I do apologise if these are all things you have been through before but I am wondering if you are looking for support!

Original poster
shivermetimbers · 03/07/2009 10:11

If it appeared she was overweight i would look at her diet and general lifestyle to see if i could find where i was going wrong.
I dont think she is overweight but the calculators are making me wonder if i am just not seeing it.

OP posts:
ronshar · 03/07/2009 10:21

If you are concerned about it then look now. Why wait until she is overweight?

As long as she is eating enough to cover the amount of energy spent each day then it is not a problem.
Remember is is an easy equation, food in = energy to be used. If energy not used it turns to fat.

Put the charts away. Make life easier for yourself. You are aware it could be an issuse so you are already doing the best for your DD.

Original poster
shivermetimbers · 03/07/2009 10:27

I have looked and I think she has a good diet but if she is overweight then i must be wrong. I know what it is like to be an overweight child and cannot and will not put her through that, which is why i have to keep an eye on it.

OP posts:
somewhathorrified · 03/07/2009 10:47

BMI calculators are generally rubbish. There are so many measurements that need to be taken into account, an online calculator will rarely ask for these figures! Waist, wrist, height and weight are the absolute basics. You haven't mentioned your dd's age, but don't forget girls develop at drastically different stages and BMI calculators aren't designed for individuals.

ronshar · 03/07/2009 10:51

You said that one chart said overweight one said normal. That will show you that the charts can be unreliable.
It is the same with the centile charts in baby books. They are meant for an average child of average parents. They dont take into account the tall, short, wide or narrow.
For example. My 9month old DS. According to his centiles he is ridiculously underweight. However he is really long and is wearing 9-12 clothes. He has no hips. Same as his daddy, unfortunately not me.

Please dont make a bit thing of this or you will give your beautiful DD body issues that she doesnt need. That is the sure fire way to cause the damage you are worried about.

Original poster
shivermetimbers · 03/07/2009 10:55

I know you are right but it is so hard to stop myself obsessing.

OP posts:
HecatesTwopenceworth · 03/07/2009 11:08

you know that I know how you feel - I have the same struggle myself. When you are so fat yourself, and have been all your life and suffered the total misery that brings, it does make you feel you would rather chew off your own leg than allow your child to suffer the same.

there's nothing either of us can do now to bring back our childhood. We lost that. but we can and will make sure our own children don't lose theirs to obesity.

Original poster
shivermetimbers · 03/07/2009 11:11

Exactly, but if you cannot rely on BMI calculators and I am not sure i can trust my eye, what can i do?

OP posts:
HecatesTwopenceworth · 03/07/2009 11:13

I will keep an eye and I will tell you, if you want.

Up her exercise - get her on more bike rides, go with her dad to walk the dog, walk to school and back - I know she doesn't like it, but tough! That walk every day is good for her!

Original poster
shivermetimbers · 03/07/2009 11:18

she will be walking to and from school when she goes up in september and she walks home from school now.

OP posts:
ronshar · 03/07/2009 11:28

Can you not try do start doing exercise that will help both of you? Even if it is a walk every Sat/Sunday morning.
Your attitude to exercise with be informing your DD. Do you do enough?
All these things will help both of you.
Ultimately you need to face the fact that the reasons you are overweight can become the same for DD. So rather than focus on the actual weight focus on the exercise for you both.

somewhathorrified · 03/07/2009 11:40

A great way of judging if your DD is a little bigger than you/she is happy with is a photo of her and her friends to compare. Is it difficult to find clothes that fit and look flattering? Are her tops too long on the sleeve to allow for her tummy, do the top of her legs rub together?

CMOTdibbler · 03/07/2009 11:45

I agree with the photo idea - in a recent photo of our friends children all together, one girl who I would have said was fat before, really stands out as being obese compared to the others (none of whom are skinny). Her dad finally admitted there was a problem as her mum transfers all her issues about food to daughter - lots of cake making, sweets as a treat everyday, eat your food and get sweets etc, but dad had ignored it before

Original poster
shivermetimbers · 03/07/2009 13:14

The photo is a good idea in theory but my dd is so very different to her friends in other ways. She is 10 and already a fraction under 5"4 with a womanly shape, a bcup chest, size 6 feet and could easily pass for 16+. She started her period last year and has since physically developed so fast.Comparing her to her classmates would not really work.

OP posts:
HecatesTwopenceworth · 03/07/2009 16:33

Yes. She recently gave me a pair of her trainers that she has grown out of! How's that for arseways up? she's 2 inches taller than me and a shoe size bigger! (But a LOT slimmer)

She really does look a lot older, she's got hips, and like shiver says, a bosom.

Her shape is that of a woman size 8/10.

ronshar · 03/07/2009 21:14

I would lock her up now, it will be easier for your nerves and on the local male population that way. As I said she is beautiful.
Enjoy her while she is young. Although my DD1 is not far behind yours. 10 in Nov. No periods yet but a size 4 shoe and going into size 6 womans clothes!!!!
I am short and a bit dumpy, where does it come from???

Original poster
shivermetimbers · 04/07/2009 10:14

She is beautiful, although those pics on my profile are a bit outdated, she was only 5.
She already gets the attention of teenage boys which is very scary.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page