Many kids have noticeably gained weight

[Lazt]

We’re a few days back in school now and I’ve really noticed that many many kids have put on weight since March, quite a number are now noticeably overweight. We’re in a reasonably affluent area where I would’ve said pre lockdown the slightly overweight kids were very much in the minority.

I include my own kids in this who were pretty slim before are definitely chunkier but not overweight.

It’s just so shit. This is not a judgement on parents, just the terrible situation we’ve put our children in.

@littlebitotartan

Who cares really When it's temporary ??? Weight gain in a pandemic an issue ... seriously?? ... it's their mental health that I'm really concerned about and it's not today or tomorrow we'll see the effects .

You can be concerned about more than one thing at a time. Weight gain isn't purely an aesthetic issue. It's a marker of general health and fitness and for some it will affect their mental health.

Luckily my dc are very sporty and haven’t noticeably put on any weight although I have been increasingly getting more careful with snacks as they both like cookies/chocolate/ice cream and were happily helping themselves while I was distracted with work. Youngest is an elite gymnast, eldest does karate and elite trampoline and their clubs did zoom training right through lockdown, we also have a massive trampoline in our garden and they were only allowed 30mins at a time on a screen and needed to do other things to earn more time. Not just exercise but reading/drawing etc.

It was really tough to keep at it with full time work and homeschooling plus a long dog walk every day, I made the decision to take time off work over the summer as it was too much for me and we’ve been doing more stuff together while they’re off school but at a more relaxed pace and less stress all round. Gym/trampoline club has started back now as they never stop during school hols which has really helped their mental health to be away from me and out of the house with their friends doing something they love.

I’m very worried about long term mental health effects especially with youngest who was showing signs of depression and anxiety although he’s been improving last few weeks the more he’s getting out the house. I really feel for anyone without a garden, I’m not sure we would have got through lockdown without ours, it’s not surprising so many children have put on weight, they absolutely were put to the back of the queue during this pandemic, I still can’t really believe schools were closed for so long, no exams, terrible system for exam results put in place, etc. They’ve all been let down massively and if children aren’t the number 1 priority going forward this government will create enormous problems for the future.

Professor pootle I take it the gym club is
indoors but allowed as socially distanced?

I'm glad something is on! All I've seen here in Scotland for kids is footie / hockey training back on outdoors.

Children's health, mental and physical has to be a higher priority for us all.

Yes the gym is indoors but lots of social distancing measures in place, tons actually, it’s quite well done. Kids wash hands in sinks outside on arrival and walk through separate entrances to their specific gym (there are 3), no parents allowed inside. The mats are marked so everyone is 1m apart at all times. Class times have all been changed so no overlaps of kids arriving/leaving. Coaches wear masks and face shields, kids wear masks on arrival and put them in a named bag, then wear again on exit. No water fountains, can’t refill bottles and all lost property is thrown away at end of each session. Gyms are cleaned between classes, apparatus cleaned between gymnasts. If it’s difficult to clean, like foam pits, it’s covered and not used. I’ve been quite impressed.

Weight is 80% diet 20% exercise , if people’s dc have got fat in lockdown it’s not from lack of PE or cycling to school.

My DS2 was top of healthy weight at the beginning of lockdown and I was worried he would put on weight. We did some baking early on but stopped as although we enjoyed it we then ate it and I thought it was a bad habit to get into. I've definitely put on a bit of weight as I got into the habit of tea and biscuits at the end of the 'school' day before my 'work day started at about 3pm. And much less exercise than I am used to.

Not even 20% due to lack of exercise?

I've been thinking a lot about the kids recently with the a level results out & I honestly feel so sorry for all of them. I passed by the war memorial in our village today & the quote "for your tomorrow we gave our today" was on it & thought that's what the children are doing right now & it's terrible. Instead of medals they're being told to stop being fat. Instead of pludits they're being called selfish for wanting to see their friends. It is horrible & I wish we could do something for them all as a generation. Poor babies.

It's also true that more time round the house because everything is cancelled can lead to boredom eating. So indirectly or otherwise I would say lack of going places has had an effect on the fitness of my kids. And they don't look as skinny as normal.

I think many people here are in denial about how much extra they and their families ate over lockdown. You have to do a phenomenal amount of exercise to burn off food.

By contrast my previously underweight child has gained to a healthier weight through lockdown and has grown so much taller. Other child was normal weight and still is but has also shot up

@AldiAisleofCrap

Weight is 80% diet 20% exercise , if people’s dc have got fat in lockdown it’s not from lack of PE or cycling to school.

Well, it’s 20% down to exercise surely. A child who is eating the same as they were eating pre lockdown but doing significantly less exercise will put on weight. It’s simple maths, calories in vs calories out.

Our 14 year old has lost weight and gained a lot of height. Been free to exercise whenever he likes and not sat at a school desk for 5 hours a day

@LoeliaPonsonby

I think many people here are in denial about how much extra they and their families ate over lockdown. You have to do a phenomenal amount of exercise to burn off food.

It’s not just ‘exercise’ though, it’s movement in general. Walking to school and back, moving around school, playing at break times, sports clubs, playing outside with friends... it all adds up.

Yep - it's shit! I have two DC - one skinny and the other prone to weight gain. Skinny one is still skinny, one who is prone to weight gain is now overweight. I've dragged him out of the house on walks and bike rides, but it's not been enough. The rest of the time he's been nicking food from the kitchen and sitting on his backside. He desperately needs to get back to games lessons and the more active life that school gives him.

Valley dad, I agree.

My 7 yr old has lost stamina. Badly. He did an hour bike ride with us every day in lockdown but was quite sedentary the other 23 hrs a day as opposed to before when he would be active about 4-5hrs a day.
After his first day back at school last week he fell asleep on the sofa.
He’ll be ok if that was the only / worst lockdown but if we go back again it’ll be less easy to recover.

Well of course people probably ate more.

Let's be honest here too a lot of dc were left to fend for themselves a fair bit while parents were having to work, probably helping themselves to extra snacks.

When you compare to before though, a lot of physical activity was lost. I calculate for my ds 3xweekly football, swimming 1-2 times weekly, walk to school, playtimes, PE twice weekly, Scouts, playing out with friends after school, school sports matches. That's without trips to the playground, leisure swimming. That could add up to 10-20 hours of physical activity a week.

A daily walk doesn't compensate.

I have noticed the same. Some young people I know who were already overweight are not quite fat. Sad.

We kept ours active. It was hard work, but we knew it was important and had the means to do it. We were lucky.

Not connected to this, but I was speaking to my friend who is a teacher in an African country. She told me that quite a few teenage girls in her school will never return to education as they have been married off/got pregnant during lockdown. Their families have not been economically active and cannot afford to educate their kids now. All unforeseen consequences of this virus.

2 of my DC have also gained do much weight despite daily workouts.

@Lazt
Oh I'm so glad you posted this! One of my children has piled on weight and I'd say she is now probably classified as overweight. I'm making a huge effort to get her back to activity etc, but still none of her dance classes, swimming or netball is back. The whole situation is shocking and I just can't believe our children have been shit on like this.

@Valleydad99
Fab post!

@Valleydad99 agree

Glad to see this thread hasn't turned into a parent bashing thread again and I say this as someone whose dc haven't put on weight thankfully. But I can totally understand how plenty have.

None of us have put on weight really, but stamina/fitness has definitely reduced - no brisk walk to and from school every day for one thing.
We are trying to get out for a daily walk or at least some activity in the garden.
But the fact is, we are in less of a hurry generally, so even when we go for a long walk it is at a more leisurely pace, and it makes a difference.