Your childrens statistics

[wannabump82]

I found myself measuring and weighing my boys this morning out of curiosity and for a bit of fun. I am finding it hard to understand the BMI statistics for my 4 year and 1 month old as he is in the 99th percentile which states obese for his weight. To look at him he looks broad but not overweight.

Here are my boys statistics for comparison:-

CHARLIE

Age - 7 years, 1 month
Height - 126 CM (4ft 1)
Weight - 54.6 lbs
BMI - 16 (healthy) - 61st percentile

JAKE

Age - 4 years, 1 month
Height - 110 CM (3ft 7)
Weight- 53.2 lbs
BMI - 20.2 (Obese) - 99th percentile

 

[Pearls18]

I don't weigh my kids (only because I don't have scales in the house) my eldest was weighed when he started school 10 months ago and was on the 50th, he looks a typical skinny kid! My youngest (2) is on the 25th, he's always been teeny. They eat like horses but are very active, we're a slim family. Have you looked on the charts in your red book? They will weigh him when he starts school and will get in touch with you if they are concerned, if you are happy he eats a balanced diet with lots of activity I wouldn't worry, I know BMI isn't accurate for everyone.

 

[sabby52]

I dont have an actual figure for weight (I dont own scales) I only go by what the doctor tells me at his appointments or when he has a weigh in for a judo competition and I dont think my 18 year old would let me weigh him

Dec
Age- 8 years 9 months
height- 135cm (4f 5inches)
weight- last Judo weigh in3 weeks ago, 56lbs (exactly 4 stone)
BMI- never checked so dont have a clue lol

Daniel
Age- 18 years 6 months
Height- 6f 2inches
weight- last weighed in school about 4-5 months ago, 10.5 stone
BMI- dont know

 

[wannabump82]

It's change really because my eldest has a very slim build and my second is so broad. All i can put it down to is bone density. We have digital scales for me and hubby and they love weighing themselves. There is only one on difference between my boys.

Here's Jake...he is the 'obese' one...

 

[wannabump82]

And this was taken at Christmas so boys were 6½ and 3½....

I'm thinking that Jake might be taller than Charlie when he's an adult which is strange because I'm only 5ft 1 and hubby is 5ft 9 although hubby cousins and aunty is over 6ft.

Does Jake look obese? I won't be offended lol. You read up so much on child obesity and how parents don't monitor their weight.

 

[Button#]

I was reading up about this recently as my DS is about to start school so we weighed and measured him and checked his bmi online. I was worried about him being underweight but he is 75th centile and within healthy range. Apparently our perception of what's normal has changed because so many kids are overweight now. Kids are meant to be 'skinny'. He might even out as he grows but I'm sure his school will give you advice if you need it.

I also don't think it helps when you have a small child and HVs get you to try and fatten them up to push them up the centiles without reference to their height.

 

[Spottycup]

We got a letter saying my 5.5 year old had been weighed at school and she was apparently very obese according to her bmi. Me and my OH are not worried as she eats healthy and is active and doesn't look over weight.

She's 4ft and around 4 stone.. She's also tall for her age and is in size 7-8 clothes. x

 

[Pearls18]

Found the chart and my son was just under 3 stone at 5 which is average, honestly, if my child came up as obese I would do a food diary for a couple weeks and show it to the school nurse or similar just for a second opinion, your son looks more built in the first photo than mine (he's nearly 6 now) but no he doesn't look "obese" to me, the word obese is scary but I do think as a society like pp says we have come desensitised as to what overweight is, I often say I remember growing kids were skinny, like we looked ill lol, but kids look different today. I wouldn't ignore BMI, but if after assessing diet I was happy with food, activity, happiness and energy AND had sought a second opinion, it wouldn't worry me.

 

[wannabump82]

Thanks ladies. Whenever people see Jake they always think he's older than what he is and they say how well built he is so I cant go off the BMI too much. He starts school in September so I will wait until they weigh and measure him and see what they say.

 

[Quartz]

My two have very similar stats to yours (except oldest is a girl)

She is 7 years 5 months
126 cm 52lbs

Her 3 year 9 month brother (Charlie as it happens) is
108cm and 49 lbs

She is naturally slender and eats a lot (more than him) he is built like your youngest broad and tall (he is the same height as some reception children but not starting school for another year). I used to worry but now its just their build.

 

[SarahBear]

Obesity on children doesn't always look the same as with adults which leads a lot of parents to not realizing their children are over weight. Just focus on eating healthy and being active.

 

[LoveCakes]

Be careful weighing at home, most scales are calibrated for adults so don't weigh accurately for smaller weight limits. Try holding your child, weighing both of you then weighing yourself and working out the difference.

 

[KatieB]

Louis had his weight checked at school in February (almost 5) and was 19.2 kg (42lbs) and 112 cm. He has definitely grown again height wise but not really put on weight (that I can tell, he's not been weighed since). He's very slender. It didn't state his bmi, just said that he was in the healthy range. I'm not sure about Alex's weight but he's broader build than Louis x

 

[tommyg]

I don't think BMI works for small children. How do his weight & height centiles compare in the red book charts?
I don't think he looks anywhere near obese but if you are really concerned speak with your GP.
I have little faith in HV and they are very inconsistent in their advice.

 

[CaptainMummy]

Dd1
5yrs 6mths
2st 13lbs (41lbs)
113cm

Dd2
2yrs 11mths (almost)
1st 13lb
89cm

Dd3
21months
1st 10lbs
78cm

I did these at home so wont be totally accurate. No idea on their bmi!
Eldest is very slim built but not skinny, dd2 is tiny and dd3 is quite short and still has baby chub on her belly and legs

 

[AngelUK]

Dominic is 107.5cm tall and weighs 22kg, which puts him as very overweight on the 98th curve for weight and 75th for height. There is no doubt that he is overweight, it is obvious, even taking into a account that he has a sturdy and broad build.

Sebastian is 104cm tall and weighs 14.8kg, which puts him still on the healthy weight range but only on the 2nd curve while he is 50th for height. He is very slight and all his ribs, even across his chest stick out.

And therein lies my problem. Dominic has a healthy diet on the whole but Sebastian eats virtually nothing of that diet and only chips/fries and chicken nuggets in any good quantities (and no he will not eat the home made healthier ones). I cannot feed them a different diet cause this was done to me as a child and it resulted in a very unhealthy relationship with food and especially treats. And there is no use in telling me that Sebastian will eat healthily if he has no choice cause this does not apply to him, I've tried. It is also not a phase as he has been like that since we started weaning him. He may grow out of it and I hope he does.

 

[Vickie]

Both of my kids sit the 50% for weight and height generally. I'm not sure what their BMI is though.

Hannah just turned 8 and I'm not sure on her height but she weighs 54 pounds.

Rhys is 4 and weighs 35 pounds and again I can't remember his height our big issue with him is that he falls off the chart for height, has a major growth spurt and goes back to the 50%. Our doctor finally gave up on rechecking his height every six months

 

[Quartz]

I was reading up about this recently as my DS is about to start school so we weighed and measured him and checked his bmi online. I was worried about him being underweight but he is 75th centile and within healthy range. Apparently our perception of what's normal has changed because so many kids are overweight now. Kids are meant to be 'skinny'. He might even out as he grows but I'm sure his school will give you advice if you need it.

I also don't think it helps when you have a small child and HVs get you to try and fatten them up to push them up the centiles without reference to their height.

Dominic is 107.5cm tall and weighs 22kg, which puts him as very overweight on the 98th curve for weight and 75th for height. There is no doubt that he is overweight, it is obvious, even taking into a account that he has a sturdy and broad build.

Sebastian is 104cm tall and weighs 14.8kg, which puts him still on the healthy weight range but only on the 2nd curve while he is 50th for height. He is very slight and all his ribs, even across his chest stick out.

And therein lies my problem. Dominic has a healthy diet on the whole but Sebastian eats virtually nothing of that diet and only chips/fries and chicken nuggets in any good quantities (and no he will not eat the home made healthier ones). I cannot feed them a different diet cause this was done to me as a child and it resulted in a very unhealthy relationship with food and especially treats. And there is no use in telling me that Sebastian will eat healthily if he has no choice cause this does not apply to him, I've tried. It is also not a phase as he has been like that since we started weaning him. He may grow out of it and I hope he does.

Has a medical professional said anything - I think we have said on threads before that Charlie and Dominic are similar - Charlies weight was done at hospital (he needed to be weighed in order to get the correct dosage of antibiotic) and no one said anything. Maybe he looks more overweight because his brother is underweight?

 

[tommyg]

Angel I think I would speak with a GP and get some ideas or referral to dietician.

An i right in thinking Sebastian must be about outgrowing his toddler car seat but not heavy enough to legally use a high back booster. That tells me something is an issue.

 

[AngelUK]

We talked to our HV about Dominic's weight 2 years ago. She recommended light products and cutting down on fat. Needless to say I never went to her again.
He has stayed on the same curve ever since he was tiny so I am not too worried about that aspect but obviously he is too heavy for his height, there is no two ways about it. I asked his GP about it and he said to talk to the HV. Well maybe I will try again and get a different HV this time who will actually refer us. However, I am quite sure that they can in fact not recommend anything new that I have not tried myself already.

As for the car seat, no we do not have the problem as we have the The Kiddy Guardianfix Pro 2 which is for group 1,2 and 3. He is not quite 15kg at which the Impact Shield can be disgarded but I am hoping the 200gr that he's lacking for that won't endanger him. Cause there is no way I can either only have him with the impact shield and not Dominic too or vice versa I don't drive a lot with them however, at the most once or twice a week within the Borough.