American kids basically snack on junk all day. That’s why.

Someone didn’t get the memo that you aren’t supposed to notice these things anymore, much less comment on it.
It’s “fatphobic” or “fat shaming” to do so.
Neat trick to shut down any discourse, actually.

Body positivity has its place, but that place shouldn't include overlooking, ignoring or celebrating overweight and obesity in kids. That's just sad.

Overweight and obese kids have shorter lives, period. They have sicker lives. They struggle much more to reduce weight in adulthood if they are already overweight or obese in childhood. The research is substantial and undeniable.

I feel like body positivity is a well meaning concept, but far too many people who embrace it have embraced it as a way to excuse our sick food system and to enable them to avoid the difficult changes (only because change is ALWAYS difficult for humans, even positive change) that are required to live a healthy lifestyle in the midst of our sick food system.

The majority of Americans get 60-70% of their calories from ultra processed food products. These food products are things that you can chew and swallow, but they aren't food. They don't nourish the body in meaningful ways. They actually malnourish the body and create insulin resistance and metabolic disorder - including in many 'skinny fat' people who appear healthy in terms of body weight but nevertheless have symptoms of metabolic disorder.

I highly recommend the book Metabolical by Dr. Robert Lustig, an esteemed pediatric endocrinologist who has been waging a war on our current food system and medical system for years. You'll learn a ton about both and about why body positivity isn't the answer to the epidemic of overweight and obesity that is stealing our children's health and futures.

I just got back from EU and lost four pounds eating everything in sight. I ate even though I was not hungry. I wanted to taste everything because it will be years next time I go.
First, the food made me full for a long time. Here I think about my next meal as I eat current meal. I have noticed it for years. I don't think it's the same for everyone, but definitely for me. I grown up eating organic locally grown/cooked food. Food storage/logistics, making money off of food and snacking didn't exist when and where I was growing up.
It's such a shame that the food here is full of chemicals, but who doesn't want to make money, and how do you make money if your food goes bad on shelves. Very hard to navigate it all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's weird how much energy you are putting into judging children's bodies.

It’s not about an individual child, it’s evidence of a societal problem.

Yeah I think it's a societal problem when people are really hyper focused on children's bodies

But why such a dramatic shift? You don’t think it’s a problem? You don’t want to know the overall reason?

Nothing to see here, this isn’t really happening, just ignore what you are seeing with your own eyes.

But if it is happening, then it’s a good thing. Bodies naturally come in all shapes and sizes and more people need to have body positivity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's weird how much energy you are putting into judging children's bodies.

It’s not about an individual child, it’s evidence of a societal problem.

Yeah I think it's a societal problem when people are really hyper focused on children's bodies

But why such a dramatic shift? You don’t think it’s a problem? You don’t want to know the overall reason?

Anonymous wrote:So what’s with the class and weight? Granted lots of less affluent people have abhorrent food culture, giving their kids sugary drinks and chips and candy. However there’s candy everywhere nowadays, prizes at school as someone said, so it’s can’t be the only factor.
Where I live I see a lot of chunky Hispanic kids (mestizo), maybe their metabolism is somewhat different?

I see chubby kids of both classes at our school. Yes there are more poorer kids with this issue, but plenty of wealthy kids are chubby too. Wealth does not equal class.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's weird how much energy you are putting into judging children's bodies.

It’s not about an individual child, it’s evidence of a societal problem.

Yeah I think it's a societal problem when people are really hyper focused on children's bodies

Anonymous wrote:This is not my experience at all. I don't know why but we don't know many heavy kids at all.

Same!

I was happy when my very petite 9 year old finally broke 48 lbs. She was there for 2 years. Older kid is also very slim. All their friends are slim. Maybe one kid in each of their grades is "chunky".

This whole thread is making me throw up in my mouth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately a lot has to do with poverty and social class. At my kids private elementary school, virtually every kid is skinny.

I'm dcum poor and my teens are skinny. I've been trying to fatten them up forever. Dh and I were skinny until mid 30's, now we are average. Our parents were thin. Our siblings were thin. I think it's genetics.

When someone is talking about poverty, you really think they are talking "DCUM poor?"

Anonymous wrote:This is not my experience at all. I don't know why but we don't know many heavy kids at all.

You probably don’t know a lot of poor kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Swimming at the pool this year and have really noticed a lot of chunky kids. I know a lot of kids are overweight and obese now but it still surprises me every time I see kids who are clearly overweight at a young age.

DH and I had the opposite problem growing up and our kids are sharing our genetics. No matter how much they eat they can’t really gain weight. Our 9.5 year old only weighs 66 pounds and eats like a horse!

A friend of mine said her 8 year old weighed 100 pounds!

My kids don’t eat perfectly healthy all the time and do eat junk food so it’s not like they aren’t also consuming the highly processed food. I just feel bad for kids having to go through this at such a young age.

This is some weird variation on the humble brag ...

Op - not a brag at all! When I I was growing up all the kids looked the same. Some were taller, some were shorter but they were all pretty much skinny with knobby knees. Now there are tons of overweight and obese kids! It’s shocking!

Can I punch you in the face?

They have no chores. Just phones.

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately a lot has to do with poverty and social class. At my kids private elementary school, virtually every kid is skinny.

I'm dcum poor and my teens are skinny. I've been trying to fatten them up forever. Dh and I were skinny until mid 30's, now we are average. Our parents were thin. Our siblings were thin. I think it's genetics.