Ds (7) is now more than just

[Bink]

... I think he is verging on overweight.

He is huge anyway - 98th percentile for height, size of average 9yo - but he seems to have larded on a bit over the holidays - is weight of average 10.5yo, particularly hefty around the tummy.

He's not exactly sporty, but very strong & has masses of stamina - can manage eg a 4km run or a 400 metres swim, happy to do long walks & would surf all day if allowed. So not a slob. He doesn't eat between meals, never has; but eats huge amounts at every meal, which is always proper food but does include a biscuit here and there. (He doesn't eat anywhere near enough rubbish for that to be the culprit, and we switched from full-fat to semi-skimmed milk a year or so ago.)

I know I should take gp's advice, but does anyone have a child like this or know what the current thinking is - should I intervene? - eg not let him have second helpings, do more protein/less starch, make him run about even more?

end of title fell off - it was meant to say "sturdy"

imo- as long as he's regularly active and has a healthy diet don't make it an issue.

SM - thank you - he just seems so physically different from all the other boys we (in our bookwormish world) know - they're all either active and slender, or hefty and lethargic.

He might be heading for a growth spurt - are you and your dp tall? I have a theory that children of tall parents eat more, because they have further to grow.

He sounds typically rugby player shaped. Not a bad thing IMO.

You know best but I do think that kids tank up sideways and then shoot up height-ways IYSWIM

Hi Bink -

You said he eats alot -do you think he overeats? Maybe portion control could be a solution, or something as basic as no second helpings. Any idea what he eats at school? Does his size bother him or stop him from doing things he'd like to do?

I've known of people who were sturdy as children, had a big teenage growth spurt, and left weight issues behind. Maybe your ds will be the same. Did you dh have the same experience when he was a child?

You could start by calculating his Body Mass Index here . Sounds within normal variance to me if I think of ds' class with ds at the opposite end of the spectrum .

my dss was like this, chubby, but very active. Without any dietary manipulation at all, he is now a tall, lean and fit 18 year old. I would leave him be- I suspect he is storing up energy for a growth spurt!

Myu ds1 is active and sturdy - very broad chested. He always used to be about average height for his age but is now one of the shortest in his class. He is age 12, year 8. He has been chubby round the middle since he was about 7 years old, but always very sporty. Nothing we have done has altered his body shape - he is now quite muscular, though, due to the sports he does.

He eats 'good' food and likes proper meals, but will also eat rubbish if it is around. I do have to watch him as he has a big appetite. But lots of his less active and skinny friends eat lots of rubbish and don't put on weight.

His younger brother (age 7) is also active and with a big appetite (and eats the same food as ds1). So far has is wiry and slim - a naturally different build.

So IME diet does not automatically affect size or weight. As long as ds1 keeps active and minimises the rubbish foods he eats, I feel I have done what I can do.

I am hoping ds1 will soon have a teenage growth spurt and everything will level out. I take comfort from the fact that some of his male relatives had his body shape before lengthening out as teenagers.

Just another thing - I got what was called puppy fat around the age of 7 years. It (mostly) disappeared when I was a teenager. I never was skinny, but stopped being out of proportion.

Also, my ds1 started bulking out at 7 years old - before that he was of average build. I am watching my youngest ds closely as he has just turned 7 years old. He has got a slightly thicker layer of fat overr his ribcage I think - just enough to make some of his old trouser waistbands a little tighter. Perhaps it's something that happens to lots of children around that age.

LIZS, thank you for the link. By that graph, if I've done it correctly (which I'm not sure I have as it wouldn't let me put in his birthdate - if you can check it, ds's height is 1.35m and weight about 33 kg) his BMI is 18.1, which for a 7.5 yo is exactly on the borderline between OK and overweight.

EB, dh was a rather preciously delicate little boy, but others of the family were sturdier (but this did involve some childhood weight issues, which I'd like ds to be spared, if possible).

Tissy and tiger, your boys sound like just the comparisons I was hoping for. I guess rugby calls. Maybe rowing, too, which I'm keener on.

Tigermoth, especially interesting about the 7yo bulk-up - before now ds has always been very tall, but we haven't had problems getting trousers to fit ... Am about to order a batch of M&S "pleat-front adjustable-waist" school uniform.