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Original poster

TOO FAT TO TODDLE - ITV 2 TUESDAY NIGHT 9PM

43 replies

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/01/2009 16:16

follows 4 famillies and their over weight children who are under 5

children learn their eating habbits from their parents and eating crap/fatty foods and no/lack of exercise = fat children

I think this is abuse!!

saw a clip and def waddling rather than toddling

OP posts:
SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 13/01/2009 16:18

Hasn't this already been on? Is it a repeat or new families?

I too get upset at parents crying about how they cannot help their young dc lose weight because they are so hungry.

They are children ffs stop giving them the crap and they cannot eat it. It's not like they can pop to the corner shop and buy themselves a multi bag of walkers.

HecateQueenOfGhosts · 13/01/2009 16:19

Sad, isn't it? Educating parents is key. veg is cheaper than crap - a baked potato is healthier than chopping and frying some chips. Healthy eating doesn't have to cost the earth. giving kids what they like to eat, isn't always best for them. Sometimes you have to do what's right long term, even if that means battles in the short term.

I know. I am freakishly fat and I will NOT allow my kids to end up like me.

littleboyblue · 13/01/2009 16:22

I was gonna watch this, but CSI starts again tonight and Warwick dies. Once you've seen one fat child program, you've seen them all!
Agree about just not giving them the bad stuff. I never wanted to give my ds chocolate and the like as he was happy with strawberries or cucumber as a snack, but bloody in-laws gave him an easter egg at 7 months even after I had said in no uncertain terms that he was not to have it, they waited til i went to bathroom. Dp is quite relaxed on the junk food stuff and I do let ds have McD's for lunch, but I can't understand for the life of me how it is possible for a small child to ghet into the state we see on telly.

HecateQueenOfGhosts · 13/01/2009 16:25

Exactly. No child is born knowing that chips and chocolate are the food of gods

MrsGrouchoMarxMerryHenry · 13/01/2009 16:27

What self-respecting parent who actually loves their kids would subject them to being filmed by a TV crew for the entertainment of the British public? I think it's awful that people make shows like this about young children.

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 13/01/2009 16:29

I think they do it to get help MrsGrouchy because they have no where else to turn and hope that thsi might help them

Although some of them last year where just slightly intellectually challenged.

littleboyblue · 13/01/2009 16:29

MrsG Maybe it's how much they get paid? Or if they think it'll help other families?
I wouldn't put my dc's on tv though....

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 13/01/2009 16:30

MrsGroucho sorry, I presume he is another footballer?

MrsGrouchoMarxMerryHenry · 13/01/2009 16:34

Shesells, that's possibly the reason (though in fact, from the broadcaster's perspective, these are just entertainment programmes.) Fat shows rate. Fat kids shows rate through the roof. ITV is desperate for ad money and so will contrive any combination of high-rating themes (kidnapping works, too, so you could have a 'fat kid gets kidnapped by another fat kid' show that would give the CEO a hefty bonus).

Littleboyblue, when I worked in telly (not that long ago) it was only the experts who were paid, not the 'contributors'. As for 'helping other families', come on! That's like a politician saying their main career goal is to make a change (i.e. 'make a change' comes second after 'power' - sad, but true).

Footballer? You mean Groucho? Oh, he's just my new squeeze .

Original poster
Blondeshavemorefun · 13/01/2009 16:37

think the famillies allow to be filmed as they just dont what else to do

its the children i feel sorry for

and yes shesellsseashells think it is a repeat

doesnt take long to make fresh meals and cook with veg

a chicken can last a few meals

it just makes me and that there are parants out there who have so little respect and love for their children

and generally the parentsare normallt over weight as well

fat breeds fat imo

OP posts:
HecateQueenOfGhosts · 13/01/2009 16:53

Not always. I am fat and live in fear of my kids suffering so am careful ds1 is skinny, ds2 after a period of being SKELETAL due to loss of appetite and general illness from being seriously anaemic, has got chubby and according to charts is at the top end of normal and 'at risk of becomming overweight' I am FREAKING OUT and taking action! (I even make them run on dh's treadmill )

My sister is the same with her (also skinny) daughter.

Don't think that all fat parents stuff their kids all day. Some of us are terrified of our children having the kind of life we have, and we have NO intention of letting it happen!

Fat or thin parent, I think the problem is when you cannot or will not look at your child objectively. How many parents have fat kids and tell themselves they are meaty, chubby, have puppy fat or are big boned? THEY are the kids who will grow into adults like me.

MrsGrouchoMarxMerryHenry · 13/01/2009 16:54

Blondes - "think the famillies allow to be filmed as they just dont what else to do" You're too nice and understanding, in my opinion. I'm sure these people all have GPs they can go to.

MrsGrouchoMarxMerryHenry · 13/01/2009 16:55

Hecate and big hugs to you.

HuwEdwards · 13/01/2009 16:55

car-crash tv, imo

littleboyblue · 13/01/2009 16:59

See what you're saying Hecate, makes perfect sense too.

Original poster
Blondeshavemorefun · 13/01/2009 16:59

true heacte - i will rehrase

it is very rare to have a fat child and the parents to be slim

every fat child and i mean severley over weight, noy just puppy fat, that i have seen where i live,and you can see their parents waddle after them, normally stuffing a macy d's into mouth

maybe i am too nice, but again gp's dont do much apart from offer advice, but they dont often follow it up

where i think maybe on a tv show, they get lots of help and support and diet tips/healty eating/exercise etc

OP posts:
JollyPirate · 13/01/2009 17:00

Sadly many have never been taught to cook or to budget. Equally some have absolutely no idea what constitutes a healthy diet - I get regular phone calls from parents telling me their child will not eat anything except biscuits/chocolate/crisps - it really doesn't occur to some people NOT to buy them.

On the other hand many people DO buy fruit and veg and feed their children well.

Another matter is portion size - we have lost the plot as regards what constitutes a reasonable portion size for a toddler - so they have bigger meals and get heavier.

littleboyblue · 13/01/2009 17:03

Blondes I sede what you're saying too, that in some cases it is purely an educational thing, the parent doesn't know/isn't interested in healthy eating, therefore cannot pass the knowledge on to their children, but isn't obesity genetic and maybe that is why 'fat' parents have 'fat' children?
I have food issues as my mum let me eat what I wanted because I refused to eat a 'proper' meal, now I don't know what a proper meal is so am having trouble ensuring ds gets a balanced diet.

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 13/01/2009 17:03

I am overweight and love certain foods like fishfinger sarnies and burgers. while my children are alllowed these foods they are limited in how much of them they can eat.

They are both v v active dd1 dances four times a week and goes to the park, walks to and froom school etc. dd2 is only 18 months but is always on the go.

littleboyblue · 13/01/2009 17:05

When I was very young, my mum spoke to her hv about my eating because at 18m, I would only eat cheese and crisps. My mum was told that was fine, I would get everything I'd need from that
Hv's have clearly always been crazy

bronze · 13/01/2009 17:06

I don't know where everyone else gets their information from but I get mine from books/library, the internet and television. now tell me that these families don't have access to at least one of these resources.
I will agree with isn't interested but there is no excuse for not finding out if you want to.

noonki · 13/01/2009 17:13

I completely agree with that sentiment MrsG. I was watching the one about Gazza the other night and thought it was terrible that his 12 year old featured so heavily in it.

And some of the Supernanny ones too. or wife swap. I watched one where some poor 10 year old had to sit downstairs while his parents shagged upstairs for 'adult time' every day. Pretty shitty at the best of times but 10 times worse that all the kids at school know to .

Original poster
Blondeshavemorefun · 13/01/2009 17:14

tech a fishfinger sarnie can be quite nutrishous(sp)

i eat this on ww diet, 2 bits of bread, lots of salsd and 2 fish fingers= a 4p meal

problem with lots of cooking progs, ie ready steady cook, yes you have a meal under 20mins and under a fiver, but the chefs pile in cream, oil, butter etc

they need a dieting ready steady cock

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 13/01/2009 17:20

Ready steady cock?

Lots of the nutritional information on TV is 'all or nothing'. Gillian McPoo pushes an insanely healthy high-fibre diet, which is all very well, but not tempting or realistic for most people ...

noonki · 13/01/2009 17:26

But it's such a complex issue. I know I feel good when my kids eat. It's a basic human instinct to want to get your children food inside them.

And if all you have ever eaten is rubbish then it's hard to change the habit; fatty food, sugar and other such food is very habit forming, and easy to make.

some people are scared to try and cook (I've met some people that aged 40 literally cant cook boiled potatoes.)

Also food is so tied up with emotional stuff (there there don't cry have a chocolate; if you eat up all your veg you can have some pudding;oh you are a good boy have a sweetie/no you can't have a sweet you've been naughty)

then all the mixed messages; you've eaten it all up well done; what a pig he ate the whole lot.

then of course there is peer pressure/advertising/genetics

and don't even get me started on exercise.

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