What age are you supposed to start worrying about childhood obesity?

[Jane054848]

Our 2 year old is a really big eater which I've always regarded as a Good Thing.

He eats mostly healthy stuff with occasional treats. Massive appetite though - he'd happily have 3 weetabix for breakfast if we let him, or 2 bananas for a snack.

He is incredibly active. He is quite chunky (average height, about 2 stone).

Is he too young for us to be thinking about limiting what he eats? It had never even occurred to me that we should, at his age, until my husband mentioned it as a possibility. He certainly doesn't look overweight to me, just lovely and perfect - but then I would say that.

I think it's more to do with activity levels. As long as children run about and burn off what they eat - it's fine. My DS can eat and eat, but never stops moving. Is he an aceptable weight for his height?

I don't know about acceptable weight for his height/centiles as our book only does the chart to age 1. They are still supposed to be chubby at 2 and a bit aren't they?

If it's any help my DS was pretty sturdy until he hit about 3yrs. Like you, I make him eat healthy food all the time, he'd just eat several courses of it given the chance. Anyway, now he's 3.8 he is much much more active and turning into a gangly little boy and the chubby baby-ness has gone.

His little sister is quite chunky, but as she eats healthy, and I make sure she doesn't eat too much, then I'm confident she'll stretch out in a year or so.

I'm skinny and I eat well, so they'll grow up the same I hope. I think a lot of it depends on what the parents eat and how much exercise they take as to whether the child is going to be overweight.

If he's active throughout the day, he should be fine. I think the advice is that as long as you give them mainly healthy food, you should let them eat as much as they want. So let appetite be the guide. Weetabix are fine as low in sugar, if it were coco pops that he wanted a lot of you might need to re-think the amounts!

thanks all - that's really helpful. We've been letting him eat as much healthy stuff as he wants so pleased to hear that is officially correct.

I'm sure he'd much prefer coco pops if only he knew how delicious they are! I'm keeping him well clear.

The official guidance appears to be that children that are overweight at five tend to stay so for the rest of their lives unless intervention takes place.

Mine are both big buggers too - I do worry about DD - she seems to still have a toddlers tummy at nearly four. But she doesn't actually eat very much. .

But perhaps it's because she hangs around with lots of other little girls who are so skinny they are at risk when standing on a drain grate?