Obese BMI

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mother in law was born during WW2 in Europe, was somewhat malnourished as a child and lived in Europe until her mid-20s. She was already overweight despite eating minimally-processed and small quantities of healthy foods. She has a number of friends her age who are also "overweight" who are also healthy older adults. Despite her weight she has lived for 80 years in full health, she was an athletic person and still walks several miles outdoors every day. So yes, I believe that there are a variety of healthy bodies.

So yes, there are plenty of different types of bodies and many of them can be healthy. And you're assuming that all bodies process foods in the same ways - this is simply not true. A family with multiple members can all eat the same food, even in the same quantities and end up varying sizes.

Lady, my grandmother lived until 92 years of age, the last 15 she had COPD. She smoked since the age of 14. She even smoked when she was on an oxygen tank. what you are describing is genetics. Most fat people and most smokers do not live to an old age. Statistics don't lie.

[Anonymous]

Not OP but if you use a calculator by sex and age, 7 in the case of OP's child, it comes up as an obese BMI.

"Healthy weight" for that height is stated as 53.9 to 67.1 lbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter (7) has always been in the 97+ percentile for height and weight. Right now she's 53.5 inches and 86 pounds. I've always served healthy food and followed her hunger cues. Dessert is a once in a while treat and we don't have junk food in the house. She does soccer, dance, and swimming. We go on walks. But her BMI is in the range for obesity and she's definitely visibly overweight. At every doctor's visit, I privately ask if we need to be worried and the doctor just says to serve healthy food and make sure she's active. I feel like they aren't taking this seriously. I don't know what to do and I feel like I've failed as a parent for letting her get to an unhealthy weight.

Did you mis type something? her BMI is 21, which is the low side of normal.

Yes. You are thinking of adult BMI. Children and teens are diagnosed as being overweight or obese based on their BMI PERCENTILE. So their BMI as compared to children of their age. OP’s daughter’s BMI is in the 97th percentile…meaning she is heavier than 97% of kids that are her same age and height- she is indeed considered medically obese

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter (7) has always been in the 97+ percentile for height and weight. Right now she's 53.5 inches and 86 pounds. I've always served healthy food and followed her hunger cues. Dessert is a once in a while treat and we don't have junk food in the house. She does soccer, dance, and swimming. We go on walks. But her BMI is in the range for obesity and she's definitely visibly overweight. At every doctor's visit, I privately ask if we need to be worried and the doctor just says to serve healthy food and make sure she's active. I feel like they aren't taking this seriously. I don't know what to do and I feel like I've failed as a parent for letting her get to an unhealthy weight.

Did you mis type something? her BMI is 21, which is the low side of normal.

Adult and kid BMIs are evaluated differently.

[Anonymous]

I'm from a thin family, so probably not fit to give advice on the subject. But I do notice that when thicker kids come for playdates they eat larger portion sizes. Like the whole blueberry container. Or a bag of grapes that might keep my family for a week is gone in one playdate.

My guess is it's a combo of larger portion sizes plus being genetically prone to a larger body. I would serve smaller portions at meals as well as put snacks in pre-portioned sizes for her to grab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm from a thin family, so probably not fit to give advice on the subject. But I do notice that when thicker kids come for playdates they eat larger portion sizes. Like the whole blueberry container. Or a bag of grapes that might keep my family for a week is gone in one playdate.

My guess is it's a combo of larger portion sizes plus being genetically prone to a larger body. I would serve smaller portions at meals as well as put snacks in pre-portioned sizes for her to grab.

My 13 year old kid is like this. He is also 5’10” and 140#. He has been 140# for 3 years and has grown 6 inches in that timeframe. So what you might have seen as thick at 10 is now very lean at 13 with a lot of muscle due to being an very physically active child .

Some “thick” kids lean out once they hit puberty. My kid ate an entire watermelon today. He goes through a half gallon of milk a day. He eats 4 full meals as day as well. He also biked to the pool not once , but twice today and then went to football practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm from a thin family, so probably not fit to give advice on the subject. But I do notice that when thicker kids come for playdates they eat larger portion sizes. Like the whole blueberry container. Or a bag of grapes that might keep my family for a week is gone in one playdate.

My guess is it's a combo of larger portion sizes plus being genetically prone to a larger body. I would serve smaller portions at meals as well as put snacks in pre-portioned sizes for her to grab.

My bigger kid will indeed eat all of your blueberries and grapes, but believe that she has always had a bigger appetite since infancy. And we’ve pushed fruits and veggies instead of regular carb snacks, so she loves them and eats a ton. Totally fine for her not to clean out YOUR fridge in one afternoon, but just pointing out that often portion size follows the appetite, not the other way around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm from a thin family, so probably not fit to give advice on the subject. But I do notice that when thicker kids come for playdates they eat larger portion sizes. Like the whole blueberry container. Or a bag of grapes that might keep my family for a week is gone in one playdate.

My guess is it's a combo of larger portion sizes plus being genetically prone to a larger body. I would serve smaller portions at meals as well as put snacks in pre-portioned sizes for her to grab.

My 13 year old kid is like this. He is also 5’10” and 140#. He has been 140# for 3 years and has grown 6 inches in that timeframe. So what you might have seen as thick at 10 is now very lean at 13 with a lot of muscle due to being an very physically active child .

Some “thick” kids lean out once they hit puberty. My kid ate an entire watermelon today. He goes through a half gallon of milk a day. He eats 4 full meals as day as well. He also biked to the pool not once , but twice today and then went to football practice.

The bolded could be part of the story. I have a friend whose son was overweight at 13 and underweight by 16. He grew by a foot in under two years. In OP's case, while 7 is too early for puberty, it is possible her daughter is going to hit puberty early (a few children do at 9), and some of the weight gain is due to that.

However, some of it is definitely overeating. This child weighs the same as my 10 year old daughter who is muscular, 5 feet tall and has a large frame. It's too much weight for a 7 year old. Gaining 20 pounds in a year at less than 4.5 feet is a crisis. I am 5'8" with a large frame and 20 extra pounds is a big change for my body. I cannot imagine what that is like for a 7 year old.

OP should definitely watch for portion size. I am overweight, and I eat healthy. My portion size is the problem. I have had this problem from since I can remember even though I only became overweight in my 30s after having 2 children. I believe I have a fighting chance because I was not overweight as a child. I was on the bigger side of a healthy weight as a child. I was observant as a child and started noticing how much people around me were eating. I think many people confuse hunger with appetite, especially children. I have a huge appetite. But it's not hunger. It's pleasure seeking. Eating feels good.

Just as others are hooked on alcohol or drugs, I am hooked on food. I know this, and I exercise portion control. If I let loose and let my "natural" urge figure it out, I will be obese.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm from a thin family, so probably not fit to give advice on the subject. But I do notice that when thicker kids come for playdates they eat larger portion sizes. Like the whole blueberry container. Or a bag of grapes that might keep my family for a week is gone in one playdate.

My guess is it's a combo of larger portion sizes plus being genetically prone to a larger body. I would serve smaller portions at meals as well as put snacks in pre-portioned sizes for her to grab.

My bigger kid will indeed eat all of your blueberries and grapes, but believe that she has always had a bigger appetite since infancy. And we’ve pushed fruits and veggies instead of regular carb snacks, so she loves them and eats a ton. Totally fine for her not to clean out YOUR fridge in one afternoon, but just pointing out that often portion size follows the appetite, not the other way around.

Yes, portion size follows appetite and larger bodies have larger appetites.

It's also worth pointing out that, appetite aside, size follows portion size. Larger portions will produce a larger body, and smaller portions will produce a smaller body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm from a thin family, so probably not fit to give advice on the subject. But I do notice that when thicker kids come for playdates they eat larger portion sizes. Like the whole blueberry container. Or a bag of grapes that might keep my family for a week is gone in one playdate.

My guess is it's a combo of larger portion sizes plus being genetically prone to a larger body. I would serve smaller portions at meals as well as put snacks in pre-portioned sizes for her to grab.

My 13 year old kid is like this. He is also 5’10” and 140#. He has been 140# for 3 years and has grown 6 inches in that timeframe. So what you might have seen as thick at 10 is now very lean at 13 with a lot of muscle due to being an very physically active child .

Some “thick” kids lean out once they hit puberty. My kid ate an entire watermelon today. He goes through a half gallon of milk a day. He eats 4 full meals as day as well. He also biked to the pool not once , but twice today and then went to football practice.

The bolded could be part of the story. I have a friend whose son was overweight at 13 and underweight by 16. He grew by a foot in under two years. In OP's case, while 7 is too early for puberty, it is possible her daughter is going to hit puberty early (a few children do at 9), and some of the weight gain is due to that.

However, some of it is definitely overeating. This child weighs the same as my 10 year old daughter who is muscular, 5 feet tall and has a large frame. It's too much weight for a 7 year old. Gaining 20 pounds in a year at less than 4.5 feet is a crisis. I am 5'8" with a large frame and 20 extra pounds is a big change for my body. I cannot imagine what that is like for a 7 year old.

OP should definitely watch for portion size. I am overweight, and I eat healthy. My portion size is the problem. I have had this problem from since I can remember even though I only became overweight in my 30s after having 2 children. I believe I have a fighting chance because I was not overweight as a child. I was on the bigger side of a healthy weight as a child. I was observant as a child and started noticing how much people around me were eating. I think many people confuse hunger with appetite, especially children. I have a huge appetite. But it's not hunger. It's pleasure seeking. Eating feels good.

Just as others are hooked on alcohol or drugs, I am hooked on food. I know this, and I exercise portion control. If I let loose and let my "natural" urge figure it out, I will be obese.

Yes this. I have one child that will eat half a piece of cake and run off to go play or do something else. My other will want a second piece and lick the plate. Both are heathy weights, but with the second child, I have to help moderate portions. If left to eat however much they wanted we would have a weight issue, no doubt. I realize I can only do this so long, but the longer you go not being overweight the better. Hopefully with age and maturity they will be able to have more cognitive thought behind what and how much they are eating

[Anonymous]

Teaching kids about portion size to maintain health, esp if there is a family history of diabetes, obesity, etc. is just as important as teaching them to brush their teeth. Modeling other ways to seek out dopamine and serotonin besides the mouth is also vital, as is building a toolbox of skills to regulate emotions and maintain relationships. These are not only fundamental to physical and mental health but also quality of life.

[Anonymous]

Not a professional but here is what I learned in a nutrition class:

* You don’t have to worry about portions if half of your meal is vegetables- which is how nutritionist recommend to eat.
* better to avoid/eliminate sugar, gluten and dairy (nut milks have a lot of calcium, for example). You don’t need milk past a certain age
* pasta, multigrain bread - still sugar. There are better ways to get carbs: buckwheat, barley, brown rice, millet, etc
* limit snacking - keeps your blood sugar high, not good for diabetes
* fruit- not good snacks, too much sugar, increases insulin. Nuts, rice crackers are better, but better to eat 3 large portions
* drink a lot
* rely on positive reinforcement- feed your child vegetables as much as possible and make sure they are getting the message about eating a lot of vegetables. If they only eat a couple of types of vegetables, just give them those until they venture out to try new ones

I relate to the struggle and I am still learning to apply those. Not easy to avoid sugar, particularly for kids. I hope this helps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm from a thin family, so probably not fit to give advice on the subject. But I do notice that when thicker kids come for playdates they eat larger portion sizes. Like the whole blueberry container. Or a bag of grapes that might keep my family for a week is gone in one playdate.

My guess is it's a combo of larger portion sizes plus being genetically prone to a larger body. I would serve smaller portions at meals as well as put snacks in pre-portioned sizes for her to grab.

My 13 year old kid is like this. He is also 5’10” and 140#. He has been 140# for 3 years and has grown 6 inches in that timeframe. So what you might have seen as thick at 10 is now very lean at 13 with a lot of muscle due to being an very physically active child .

Some “thick” kids lean out once they hit puberty. My kid ate an entire watermelon today. He goes through a half gallon of milk a day. He eats 4 full meals as day as well. He also biked to the pool not once , but twice today and then went to football practice.

The bolded could be part of the story. I have a friend whose son was overweight at 13 and underweight by 16. He grew by a foot in under two years. In OP's case, while 7 is too early for puberty, it is possible her daughter is going to hit puberty early (a few children do at 9), and some of the weight gain is due to that.

However, some of it is definitely overeating. This child weighs the same as my 10 year old daughter who is muscular, 5 feet tall and has a large frame. It's too much weight for a 7 year old. Gaining 20 pounds in a year at less than 4.5 feet is a crisis. I am 5'8" with a large frame and 20 extra pounds is a big change for my body. I cannot imagine what that is like for a 7 year old.

OP should definitely watch for portion size. I am overweight, and I eat healthy. My portion size is the problem. I have had this problem from since I can remember even though I only became overweight in my 30s after having 2 children. I believe I have a fighting chance because I was not overweight as a child. I was on the bigger side of a healthy weight as a child. I was observant as a child and started noticing how much people around me were eating. I think many people confuse hunger with appetite, especially children. I have a huge appetite. But it's not hunger. It's pleasure seeking. Eating feels good.

Just as others are hooked on alcohol or drugs, I am hooked on food. I know this, and I exercise portion control. If I let loose and let my "natural" urge figure it out, I will be obese.

Yes this. I have one child that will eat half a piece of cake and run off to go play or do something else. My other will want a second piece and lick the plate. Both are heathy weights, but with the second child, I have to help moderate portions. If left to eat however much they wanted we would have a weight issue, no doubt. I realize I can only do this so long, but the longer you go not being overweight the better. Hopefully with age and maturity they will be able to have more cognitive thought behind what and how much they are eating

By this same logic though, it’s better to do your kids homework for them as a kid so they can better grades. And hopefully by adulthood they’ll be smart enough to do the work themselves. Not likely! They have to learn in order to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm from a thin family, so probably not fit to give advice on the subject. But I do notice that when thicker kids come for playdates they eat larger portion sizes. Like the whole blueberry container. Or a bag of grapes that might keep my family for a week is gone in one playdate.

My guess is it's a combo of larger portion sizes plus being genetically prone to a larger body. I would serve smaller portions at meals as well as put snacks in pre-portioned sizes for her to grab.

My 13 year old kid is like this. He is also 5’10” and 140#. He has been 140# for 3 years and has grown 6 inches in that timeframe. So what you might have seen as thick at 10 is now very lean at 13 with a lot of muscle due to being an very physically active child .

Some “thick” kids lean out once they hit puberty. My kid ate an entire watermelon today. He goes through a half gallon of milk a day. He eats 4 full meals as day as well. He also biked to the pool not once , but twice today and then went to football practice.

The bolded could be part of the story. I have a friend whose son was overweight at 13 and underweight by 16. He grew by a foot in under two years. In OP's case, while 7 is too early for puberty, it is possible her daughter is going to hit puberty early (a few children do at 9), and some of the weight gain is due to that.

However, some of it is definitely overeating. This child weighs the same as my 10 year old daughter who is muscular, 5 feet tall and has a large frame. It's too much weight for a 7 year old. Gaining 20 pounds in a year at less than 4.5 feet is a crisis. I am 5'8" with a large frame and 20 extra pounds is a big change for my body. I cannot imagine what that is like for a 7 year old.

OP should definitely watch for portion size. I am overweight, and I eat healthy. My portion size is the problem. I have had this problem from since I can remember even though I only became overweight in my 30s after having 2 children. I believe I have a fighting chance because I was not overweight as a child. I was on the bigger side of a healthy weight as a child. I was observant as a child and started noticing how much people around me were eating. I think many people confuse hunger with appetite, especially children. I have a huge appetite. But it's not hunger. It's pleasure seeking. Eating feels good.

Just as others are hooked on alcohol or drugs, I am hooked on food. I know this, and I exercise portion control. If I let loose and let my "natural" urge figure it out, I will be obese.

Yes this. I have one child that will eat half a piece of cake and run off to go play or do something else. My other will want a second piece and lick the plate. Both are heathy weights, but with the second child, I have to help moderate portions. If left to eat however much they wanted we would have a weight issue, no doubt. I realize I can only do this so long, but the longer you go not being overweight the better. Hopefully with age and maturity they will be able to have more cognitive thought behind what and how much they are eating

By this same logic though, it’s better to do your kids homework for them as a kid so they can better grades. And hopefully by adulthood they’ll be smart enough to do the work themselves. Not likely! They have to learn in order to do.

Not really.

Homework is not a necessity and food is. Many kids do not even have homework until 3rd grade.

However, you make a good point. Perhaps PP should work with her kids on figuring out how much is enough instead of just saying no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP. An average day would be:

Breakfast: smoothie (fruit, yogurt, milk, no added sugar), eggs, or overnight oats with peanut butter and half teaspoon of maple syrup
Lunch: whole wheat pasta with mushrooms, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan or fish with a side of vegetables
Dinner: Tuscan bean soup with a sprinkle of Parmesan or homemade chili with guac and a sprinkle of cheddar

Snacks are almost always fruit or vegetables.

This diet sounds so healthy and delicious. My kids eat like crap compared to OP’s and most of my friends’ kids do, too. I just want to offer a counter to the PPs trying to poke holes in this diet. This is genetics. Mine are skinny and their diet includes way more salt and sugar than this. Genetics.