My family are generally quite tall however Johnny is not tall for his age which is probably contributing to his supposed obesity. And yes he is the first child or person in the family to have grown so fat and I have noticed that his belly seems to accumulate more fat than other parts of him, which sort of explains why his belly fat comes out so much when he sits down or is in his speedo trunks (which are thinner so don't support the weight of his belly which is why it makes him look a lot fatter). Trousers only seem to be tight around the waist and the same with shirts. Although his chest is chubby he has not got very fat 'man boobs' and most of the problem with school shirts is buttoning them up around the belly button and below (where it sticks out the most - coming over his belt a tiny bit). So I think you may be on to something with the 'pear shaped' body size thing, however it does not really alleviate the concern.

How is your family built? I'm mostly lean but genetically pear-shaped, but my ex's family is all apple-shaped - they carry more weight in their midsections. My daughter is built the same way. So she's 8 years old and 70 pounds. She is active and her arms and legs are lean, but she has always had a belly. She is self-conscious about it if someone points it out (which other girls have, a few times.)

I schedule her into a lot of physical activity (soccer, dance, bball, swim, running), and I try to make sure that her empty-calorie snacking is minimal and that most of her snacks and meals are healthy and include veggies and fruits. I think that's all I can do. I don't want to give her body issues going forward.

OP if you must know take him to the dr's. however if his belly size is concerning you it shouldn't matter whether his weight falls in the overweight range or obese, it could be a half a pound difference to tip it either way. i have an obese 11-yo (heavy and overweight since ~4) and i don't know his current weight but i don't need that number to confirm that his pants and shirts are getting tighter.

Anonymous wrote:Last last we went to the doctors he was overweight yes but I'm not sure he's grown enough upwards to compensate for his growth outwards which is why I am concerned he is obese. And although that is a good idea he's not silly enough to fall for that and he'd know what I'm trying to do + plus not sure the scales would fit the pair of us on there

If he was already overweight last year, then the time to intervene is already here whether he is technically obese or not. The consequence of childhood obesity is not going to be apparent soon in the majority of cases, so no need to panic. However, most of the more immediate consequences are in the mental health realm, it seems like your child is already experiencing it to some extent. For that reason, I may take him back to the doctor to get him weighed and have the doctor talk to him about diet and exercise. If you keep him active and eat well, hopefully it will stabilize. But I would watch your language and interactions with him, it does have the potential to become a lifelong issue with food which may be more damaging than being overweight.

Last last we went to the doctors he was overweight yes but I'm not sure he's grown enough upwards to compensate for his growth outwards which is why I am concerned he is obese. And although that is a good idea he's not silly enough to fall for that and he'd know what I'm trying to do + plus not sure the scales would fit the pair of us on there

Have the child get on scale with you, weight yourselves together. Can you outsmart an 8 year old?

Sorry, but what kind of parent takes orders from their 8 year old?!?! Sounds like weight issue starts with a parent who has no authority/cannot set boundaries. Please get pediatrician help with that. Good to solve the problem, not just the symptom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP, but my 8yo's BMI is in the 65th percentile. The dr didn't say anything but is that considered overweight? Child doesn't look chubby to me - even has well-defined muscles. But I have body image issues so I wanted a reality check.

A 65th percentile BMI is not considered overweight. Anywhere between the 5th & 85th percentile is considered to be in the healthy/normal range.

Ok thank you.

Is he short? I just can't imagine a kid with belly hanging out from his shirt being 65th percentile.

My kid is 30th percentile and skinny, like you can see his ribs a little.

OP's son is the one whose belly hangs out from his shirt. The kid who is 65th percentile for BMI is a different child.

BMI percentile is different from weight percentile, btw, so the kid's height is already factored in. A kid who is 80th percentile in weight, for instance, & above 99th percentile in height has a lower BMI percentile than a kid the same age & sex who is 30th percentile for weight & below the 3rd percentile in height.

Please tread very carefully OP. This book is an outstanding resource on how to address this without creating lifelong issues with food.

https://www.amazon.com/Your-Childs-Weight-Helping-Without/dp/0967118913/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CQXH3AJG8XRXCEPCQJDP

Anonymous wrote:What happened since his last well visit? Did he suddenly grow so much? Was he overweight already last time you were at the doctors?

Yes I have these questions as well. OP, random strangers on the internet aren't able to give you actual advice on this. Talk to your son's doctor and get their advice. Make an appointment with a nutritionist who specializes in children.

What happened since his last well visit? Did he suddenly grow so much? Was he overweight already last time you were at the doctors?

Anonymous wrote:Not OP, but my 8yo's BMI is in the 65th percentile. The dr didn't say anything but is that considered overweight? Child doesn't look chubby to me - even has well-defined muscles. But I have body image issues so I wanted a reality check.

Not at all. 85% and above is over weight. 95%and above is obese.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP, but my 8yo's BMI is in the 65th percentile. The dr didn't say anything but is that considered overweight? Child doesn't look chubby to me - even has well-defined muscles. But I have body image issues so I wanted a reality check.

A 65th percentile BMI is not considered overweight. Anywhere between the 5th & 85th percentile is considered to be in the healthy/normal range.

Ok thank you.

Is he short? I just can't imagine a kid with belly hanging out from his shirt being 65th percentile.

My kid is 30th percentile and skinny, like you can see his ribs a little.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP, but my 8yo's BMI is in the 65th percentile. The dr didn't say anything but is that considered overweight? Child doesn't look chubby to me - even has well-defined muscles. But I have body image issues so I wanted a reality check.

A 65th percentile BMI is not considered overweight. Anywhere between the 5th & 85th percentile is considered to be in the healthy/normal range.

Ok thank you.

We have a friend whose daughter is obese. She is in preschool and wears a size 10. Her belly is huge. I don't know how her parents let her eat so much. She also is a picky eater and eats only unhealthy foods but asks for seconds and thirds every time. The parents seem to think she is cute and chubby.