Overweight children...

[cooney]

I am going to be posting a copy of this in the toddler's & preschool forum and the baby club forum as well. I'm sure everyone is going to think I am crazy seeing as my wonderful little girl is only about to be 4 months but I had questions. (ESPECIALLY for those with multiple children of different ages.)

I have been overweight my whole life. I mean, when I was a newborn I was not overweight but since about the age of 3 I was a very chubby kid, who turned into a chubby adult. My entire family is thin, so I don't have genetics to blame (although I have a thyriod condition but I don't think that accounts for all my extra weight)

Basically I want to know, what makes children fat? My OH is very thin so I am hoping our daughter will have his metabolism. I would never ever deprive my daughter of food or put her on a diet (the way my parents did when I was only 5) but I want to know what you all do to keep you child's weight under control.

I know at Cora's age that isn't an issue and I give her as much food as she wants, but I want to know for the future. I want to be prepared when the time comes to know how to make her healthy. I was teased so badly when I was little. I don't want her to go through the same pain. But most importantly, even if she is fat, I want her to be healthy. I would love her just as much if she were fat but I would feel awful for the way kids would talk to her.

How early do you start with a child's health? (as far as food is concerned) Sorry I know it's a lot of questions but I just want my daughter to have a better life than I have had so far.

 

[hypnorm]

Thyroid can cause weight problems, my SIL has thyroid problems and was quite thin untill this cropped up now she is quite large.

(also not helpful to put double posts over the forum it tends to confuse people, probably better just in the baby health section)

 

[FEDup1981]

I too have been like urself - overweight since the age of 8, and recently had a gastric bypass. So i understand the worry of ur children becoming fat too.

Jack is 3. He has his 3 meals a day - not always healthy stuff, i must admit - occasionally he will have pizza, chips etc, and i see no harm in this as long as its in moderation. He has sweets and biscuits, but he knows when hes had enough.
Same with meal times - he knows when hes had enough. And i think thats the key. Children shouldnt have to eat everything on their plate - it could be too much, stretching their small stomachs, and making them need more food to feel full in the future.
I think Jack has an average diet of a 3 yr old. He has a sweet tooth, and if i thought for one minute he was putting on weight, then id certainly cut back on treats.

But i do understand ur worries. Just try and teach positive, healthy eating, and offer healthy alternatives! xxxx

 

[babezone]

i worry to hun. but tbh i wouldnt say theres any particular time u ake them healthy its as soon as they start eating food you make them healthy. obviously every meal isnt going to be healthy but just have the really unhealthly good stuff in moderation like fed-up sed. it will be alot harder feeding a young child what ever you feel like be it no veg etc. then maybe once their hitting 3 yoou think oo i must make them healthy ie start giving veg now as if they havent had it then chances are they probably wont want it or like it. so my advice wold be as soon as she starts eating. make sure its plenty of veg and water etc etc u dont have to wait til shes 2 for example xxx

 

[cooney]

Thyroid can cause weight problems, my SIL has thyroid problems and was quite thin untill this cropped up now she is quite large.

(also not helpful to put double posts over the forum it tends to confuse people, probably better just in the baby health section)

Yeah, I know my thyroid condition has a lot to do with making it hard for me to loose weight and slowing my metabolism down, but I don't think it accounts for all the weight I have on. I do overeat, and it seems like it's almost out of instinct. I look back at my childhood and as far as I can see my parents did everything right. They gave me very healthy food. That is why I am asking everyone else.

 

[lozzy21]

I think part of my problem was i was made to eat everything on my plate and couldent leave the table untill i had.

I think the emphasis with children is to give them a balanced diet and to give them as much exercise as you can. Once they get that bit older, enrole them in something, dancing or martial art club and encourage them to stick to it.

Dont be to heath concious though, OHs dad and step mam dont alow any "fast food". She has had chips about once in her life, shes never had a macdonalds, can only have water or milk to drink and as a packet of sweets about once every 6 months. When she gets older you know that she is going to pig out on all the stuff she was never allowed.

 

[MoonMuffin]

Dont be to heath concious though, OHs dad and step mam dont alow any "fast food". She has had chips about once in her life, shes never had a macdonalds, can only have water or milk to drink and as a packet of sweets about once every 6 months. When she gets older you know that she is going to pig out on all the stuff she was never allowed.

That is exactly what I did! I got McDonalds maybe once or twice a year, only got junk and sweets a friends birthday parties, my parents even took away my halloween candy every year (or just not let me go at all)! It was nuts, I was a thin kid too. So what happened when late highschool hit and I was allowed to hang out with friends in town by ourselves? I'd eat such crap because they weren't there to stop me, it got even worse in college cause they were never there.

So my advice would be everything in moderation, teach them what to eat and why instead of what not to eat, and kids should be active, outside playing at least an hour every day (hard to do these days though being in school all day and then all the homework they get)