Not sure if my 8 year old son is overweight or obese?

[Anonymous]

Johnny, my 8 year old son has always been quite chunky, and although I'm ashamed of it, I know that he's overweight. I try to feed him healthily as best I can but he always seems to complain about being hungry and always wants more food - seconds etc. However, he must be conscious of his weight because he never lets me weigh him or do anything along those lines such as measure his waist for trousers etc. This troubles me because I am concerned that he is becoming obese and I feel I need to know so I can do something about it. Of course he won't let me weigh him so I can't check his BMI and all I have to go by of his waist is the school trousers that he fits into (which is age 11-12), and from what I have seen overall. Can anyone help or suggest anything - I would be happy to attach a photo of him (obviously with his head cropped out for security and privacy reasons) to see what people think and whether he is likely to be obese. I just feel a little bit stuck

[Anonymous]

Has he been to the doctor?

[Anonymous]

Please don't let internet strangers judge whether or not your 8 year old is obese. Talk to the pediatrician at an annual check-up.

[Anonymous]

If you know he is overweight you need to make more changes. He doesnt need to go hungry though. Up his fruit and veggies, limit fast food and increase his exercise. Go for walks as a family, hiking, biking. Take him swimming with a friend...........

[Anonymous]

Take him to his doctor.

[Anonymous]

Not sure it's really serious enough to take him to a doctor just yet - any solutions I can do at home??

[Anonymous]

If he gets a yearly check up, they weigh him. No need to make a special trip to the doctor for it. Generally, peds comment on the weight/height trajectory, right?

[Anonymous]

As long as you're making healthy choices and it's not all carbs and sugar (although kids do need whole carbs and fat) and he has a lot of physical activity I wouldn't worry just yet. A friend was a chunky kid all through HS. Like pudgy and with a belly and short. He hit a crazy growth spurt in college and became a bean pole almost overnight just like his dad. Kids grow at different paces. Make sure you are healthy as a family and model good eating habits. If he is hungry he gets extra servings of veg and protein.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure it's really serious enough to take him to a doctor just yet - any solutions I can do at home??

If he is borderline overweight or obese, it most certainly is serious enough to take him to the doctor! Obese young kids can develop Type 2 diabetes. You need to consult a professional. What is the worst that can happen? It could be the doctor just reinforces you giving him healthy foods and exercise on the one hand, or recommends a diet/nutritionist and exercise regime on the other?

[Anonymous]

It's mainly his belly that I've been noticing - stuff like shirts are tighter and when he tucks them in his belly sort of sits on top of his belt. And maybe it is serious enough but I just don't know! I don't want to have to take him out of school and a day off work to go to the doctors when I'm actually overreacting!

[Anonymous]

Are there any signs to look out for?

[Anonymous]

What food does he have access to in the house? I'd start there. No juice/soda in the house, only milk and water. No junk food for after school snacks in the house either (eg, potato chips, candy, cookies). That may help him not eating empty calories and still feeling hungry after eating. And I would say it is a New Years resolution that your whole family will eat healthier so you are not targeting just him.

[Anonymous]

Without knowing how he's eating and exercising at home it's impossible for us to give useful advice, and as many PPs have mentioned, at his well child visits you should be discussing weight and overall health with his pediatrician.
that said, I've always though the Sesame Street "sometimes food/ any time food" model is really really good for kids - heck, for everyone. So fruits and veggies are any time food. He can have as much of them as he wants. If he's hungry and wants seconds, he can eat all the string beans and apples he can handle. French fries, and even other "healthier" carbs and protiens, are sometimes food. Appropriate, healthy choices, but not to eat a never-ending supply.
If he's not hungry enough for apples, he's not hungry enough for french fries.

[Anonymous]

If you are worried about him being obese, he probably already is. There are studies showing that parents consistently underestimate how overweight their children are. I don't think there's any reason to weigh him or get an official number before making changes.

It probably would not be a bad idea to talk to a dietitian or doctor with experience with this in children, but the best things you can do will be good for him even if he is already a healthy weight: don't have processed snack foods as options in your home, don't eat fast food, and don't have drink options other than water or plain milk except on special occasions. I would not restrict food. Let him have seconds if he wants them. If his snacks and meals are healthy (nuts and cheese sticks, not chips or crackers; roasted chicken, not chicken nuggets) in most cases he should self regulate. The overweight children I know are the ones whose parents don't think twice about letting them get a big cup of hi-C while eating out, and fill lunches boxes and snacks with things like fruit snacks, go-gurt and mini-muffins (or worse). These aren't bad people, but it's easy to see how their choices are harming their kids and setting them up for lifelong struggles. I think if you asked them, they would say they try to feed their kids healthy too, but if you add up the grams of sugar that a diet full of those types of foods has, it's going to be far above daily recommendations.

Maybe feed your kid normally for the next couple days and use an app like fitness tracker to see if what he is consuming really is a healthy diet? It might be illuminating, and help you identify foods you should be replacing with healthier alternatives. You might assess how active he is too. The best way I've found to get my boys more active is limit screen time.

[Anonymous]

Put him in a sport if he isn't already. Ask him what he wants to do but also have some suggestions ready. Also, I agree about getting out as a family--hikes, walks, trail rides, basically anything that gets him out and isn't food focused. Also, you might try a cooking class. Definitely do something though! Everyone I know who was a bit overweight while young hasn't ever recovered and some of them have binge eating disorders. See your doctor!