What eating strategies are helpful to keep a 3yr old's weight on track?

[normanthehairdresser]

DS is 3.6 - was small at birth but when taken into foster care his weight and height shot up to the 90th centile and he has been a big lad ever since we adopted him around 20 months.

He's now a slightly bigger lad than I would like . I find it very difficult to measure accurately but from the best I can do he's about 17.5 kg and a bit over 1m tall. On the growth charts I think he's not quite clinically overweight but edging towards that category. In all honesty I think that's how he looks as well. Generally reasonably well proportioned but tending towards the rounded toddler tummy which I thought he should have lost by now?

I know the obvious strategies of eat less sweet stuff, make him run around more! But has anyone been in a similar position and found particular approaches helpful? Is it worth seeking advice from the HV?

His overall diet is not bad though he greatly enjoys cake, which I know we must restrict to get results. Doesn't have sweets or fizzy drinks, and rarely has chips/processed stuff. He enjoys his food, tends to eat plenty,and will eat a good range of fruit and veg. He does drink a lot of fruit juice - is that likely to be an issue?

He's never going to be skinny - he's stocky, broad shouldered and has a chest like a barrel! - and from what we know of his birth family none of them are small. He was a very similar shape and size when we adopted him, on a very different diet, which makes me think that his physical make up is playing a considerable role. But I would like him to grow into a fit,muscular child rather than a fat one.

Help greatly appreciated!

I'd say:

• Juice deffo could play a part - since you can put away a lot of juice without realising it

• I'd not keep any cake or crisps in the house - but not be obsessive about stopping him having anything when he's at parties. That way, it won;t be such a big 'issue'

• sport sport sport. Swimming/little kickers/ playing in the park

• walk everywhere

• regular meals at the table

Agree with Kif. Juice could be the 'big' factor here, I would definately keep it to an absolute minimum. It's full of fructose, but without the fibre that you consume when eating fruit in its natural, whole form. There's studies on this type of sugar being a contributing factor in childhood obesity, as it 'covers-up' our leptin hormone (leptin is what controls our fullness).

Therefore if Leptin reduced you never feel full!

The most obvious thing is to cut out the juice completely. Full of calories, bad for the teeth, expensive and not really much good for you at all.

And look at how you are cooking things -the amount of butter in mashed potato can really add unnecessary calories.

Make sure he walks every day and has plenty of chance to run around.

I've got a 'big' lad, but I'm lucky in that, certainly at the moment, he's never been fat with it - just broad shoulders, huge chest, sturdy legs, but no concerning covering of fat. He still has a sticking out stomach at times - but its starting to be pulled in more now (he's 4.5) - just seems to be more of a muscular thing with him.

He eats as much breakfast (or more) than me - mainly oats, perhaps with a little more 'normal' cereal so that he eats 'the same' as his friends without so much sugar. Sometimes fruit afterwards as a snack. Lunchtime (at home) will be one or two slices of bread with cheese or ham and some soup, plus a piece of fruit. He might have a piece of fruit as a snack during the afternoon. Supper - normally homecooked, non-processed food, although he does occasionally have fish or fish fingers and chips - but max once a week for this - only if he's made a good inroad into a good sized portion does he get pudding - which is a lowfat yoghurt with cooked fruit or a topping of eg rice crispies (just a few for a crunch). We only have semiskimmed milk, and whilst he does have 'juice' its normally an extremely dilluted concentrated fruit juice variety - and he doesn't have this all the time, quite only having water. hope this helps!

Thank you! Is everyone else snowed in too - lots of very helpful replies straight off, wonderful!

Advice on fruit juice helpful, thanks. What do your DCs generally drink instead, and can someone point me to the studies? When he came to us he was solely getting squash albeit very diluted, and we wanted to get him off that asap. Think we may have gone down a wrong track though. DH is very keen on him drinking fruit juice tho and will take some convincing, so studies would be useful!

If ds has fruit juice, I always dilute it by at least 50%. If 'squash' we only get the ones you can get from wholefood shops that are made from fruit extracts - the blackcurrant one is 'sweetened' with apple juice concentrate - but again I don't follow the instructions on dilution (which from memory is 1:8 - the bottom of the cup is covered sparsely and the rest is water - more like 1:20 ish!!! Or of course semi-skimmed milk - but we have to be careful about that with journies due to car sickness problems.

www.abc.net.au/rn/healthreport/stories/2007/1969924.htm

Sorry don't know how to do all the links etc, but this is a webpage with a transcript on with Dr Robert Lustig talking about obesity and fruit juice. He's a Professor of Pediatric Endocrinology in America. There are some references at the bottom of transcript too.

so long as you don't look in my fridge NOW (christmas, guv), I'd say just not to buy juice. that way there is no choice but to drink water or milk. I know some kids drink weak tea (regular and herb) - but I find that slightly weird.

when out (party, cafe), i'd let them have the juice though, to avoid it being an 'issue'.