Could my dd be overweight??

[mum4jenn]

My dd went to the Dr today and I am wondering if I should be worried about her weight. She is 5 years old (will turn 6 in Sept) She is apprx 44 inches tall and weighs 48 lbs. I searched some of the sites for weight for children and she has a BMI of 17.(Some said 17.5 and others said 16.87)

I do not want to freak out and I do NOT want to project the wrong image or feelings to my dd. I have always tried not to talk about weight around her so she will not feel she needs to lose weight at her young age. I am overweight but I still do not talk about it very much. She does realize that I am overweight (fat as she puts it) I do not want her to go through the things I did when I was a kid.

Do I need to worry a bunch about this or do I just need to calm down and make sure she is eating healthier? The charts I came across say she is in the 84th percentile which is on the borderline for at risk and being overweight.

 

[bsnyder]

Did the doctor say anything about her weight?

 

[mum4jenn]

No- the Dr. did not say anything about her weight. I am just trying to have the awareness in my mind so that it does not get out of hand.

 

[DonnaS]

Here is the weight for stature chart for girls her age. She falls a little above the 85th percentile.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/growthcharts/set1/chart14.pdf

Here is a chart that shows the BMI and how it falls as percentile

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/growthcharts/set1/chart16.pdf

But, what did her doctor say? How does she look? She could be muscular and that would increase both values? Is she active? If you are concerned, discuss the issue with her doctor, but don't cut back on her intake, encourage activities that she enjoys.

 

[ez]

I worry about my DD's weight sometimes as well. She is 9 and weighs 82 lbs. She is pretty muscular, her upper legs are hard as a rock.She looks great in certain clothes (like shes 13) others are not as flattering. She loves to eat and is a real snacker. So I constantly have to monitor her, and try and buy healthier stuff, unfortunately when it comes to nutricious stuff she is quite picky. I have her in karate to keep her active. At least I know shes doing something on a regular basis. Maybe something like that would be good for your daughter. My husband and I are both slim, although I had some baby fat at my daughters age as well. So I hope she will grow out of it as I did. Just try and keep your child active and encourage her to make good food choices. Her weight at this point does not sound excessive to me. Best of luck to you.

 

[DonnaS]

Silly me... I just read the rest of your post. Yes, don't freak out. One author I really liked when I was a practicing dietitian was Ellyn Satter.

Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense

The other book by her is also good.

 

[Michelle]

If your doctor is not concerned I would not be. I know it's hard, my daughter is 9 (almost 10) and she weighs about 9 pounds less than ME at 101. She is also VERY tall, always been in the 95th percentile and above for height. She now is in that pre-pubescent growth spurt and is packing on the pounds, despite being very active. I have consulted her doctor and she is not concerned as her height and weight are in the same percentile.

I just try to emphasize healthy snacks (I was a fat kid and would never wish that upon a child) and I think time will help even things out. I congratulate you on not obsessing with your child about body image; I know girls are brutal to each other at that age. I try to do the same but my DD comments on me being "thin" and asks if she is fat. I know that is coming from other kids and I just try to reassure her that if she makes healthy choices she will have a healthy and strong body.

 

[Pooh93]

I wouldn't stress too much about it. My oldest dd has been off the charts of both height and weight since the day she was born!! She is currently 52 inches tall and 73 lbs. I'll have to check the charts out. She is very muscular and has a lean looking build. She is very active also. The doctors have never been concerned about it, but always ask me if she is eating a balanced variety of foods.

 

[kejoda]

Your doctor just doesn't look at where she is now on the growth chart she/he would look at the whole thing. That is if she has been in the same or almost the same % there is nothing to worry about. We have the opposite problem with our son so our doctor has always looked at was his %'s were in the past.


I would say take family walks. Its good exercise and a great way to spend time with the kids. We always end ours at the park. Its a great incentive to get them to finish.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Mum4Jenn, I didn't think Jennifer looked overweight when I met her in April! I think you said the key word here "awareness". The potential may be there but you can control a lot of it by instilling healthy choices! BTW I thought she was adorable!

TC

 

[SnowAngel]

I agree. I wouldn't worry.
What we did was cut a lot of junk food out in our house. I try to give more fruit and healthy snacks.

My dd is 8 about 50 inches and weighs around 80lb. She is solid and while has a little stomach is not fat. Only problem is my mom and brother compare her to her little sister who is tiny and skinny. Saying she needs to watch her weight. Watch it at 8?? Makes me mad. I tell her she is perfect for her. She now tells me she doesn't want to eat half the time because she will get fat. She is beautiful as everyone says.

 

[Mskanga]

OK , look at this picture:

These are my girls, the brunette is my oldest, she's 10 years old. This picture was taken last february and about a month ago she had a doctor's visit, the nurse said she was 94 lbs. Her doctor said that she is not overweight by far because kids at this age, gain a lot of weight all of a sudden and then they grow up and get taller, so they thin out. I can tell you one thing....she's all muscle. She usually also thins out in the summer, we go often to the local water park and that place can really give you a workout!
I'd say don't worry about it for now.

my mom and brother compare her to her little sister who is tiny and skinny. Saying she needs to watch her weight.

I get that all the time from people , but I cut them off real quick, it makes me real mad.
Mum4Jenn, my youngest on this picture is also 5 years old, 48" tall and weighs 46 lbs. Neither one of my kids eat too much junk food, they are only allowed to two snacks a day , one in school and one after school. Many times those snacks are apples or something of that nature.

 

[mum4jenn]

Thanks everyone!!! I really just do not want it to get out of hand.What really concerns me is that this year in Pre-K some of the kids told her (especially a boy she likes) she was fat and she came home crying and not wanting to eat. She is bigger than the others in her class but she is the oldest also. She missed the cut-off date by 5 days so she will probably always be the oldest and biggest in her class. If she was so affected by that comment at age 5 I really worry that it will get worse. That is why I want to be more aware of her feelings about it now so she wont let it affect her so much when she is a teen.

I plan on starting a walking program this summer and I usually have her ride her bike with me since I cant leave her at home by herself. Also I have signed her up for swimming classes at the YMCA. I only have her signed up for Saturday classes right now but if she likes those I will put her in the daily classes as well. With making the activity fun(she loves the water) then she will be getting exercise and not really know it!!

She already loves eating fruit and will go days with only drinking water and has learned to eat several vegetables at Pre-K so that will help.

Thanks Tuffcookie!!! That makes me feel better!

 

[Mskanga]

What really concerns me is that this year in Pre-K some of the kids told her (especially a boy she likes) she was fat and she came home crying and not wanting to eat.

I wonder where they hear that?? That is very sad that kids in Pre-K know the difference between skinny and fat , I wish some people would really put that effort into teaching the children that we all look different on the outside , but on the inside we are all the same.
My oldest one , at one point really scared me, she started reading food labels and deciding what she would and would not eat, but she got over that.

 

[kasar]

My two daughters have always been "off the charts" but always on the same curve as the "real" charts. As long as there isn't a sudden jump in weight, it's okay (according to our pediatrician). Our solution is to keep them involved in all kinds of sports and activities. It's good for their health and it shows them that it's more important to worry about what their bodies can DO as opposed to what they LOOK like. My 10 year old knows that she would not be able to play 3rd base (her favorite) if she wasn't strong. Good luck.

 

[caitycaity]

Only problem is my mom and brother compare her to her little sister who is tiny and skinny.

ugh that's the story of my life! my sister is petite and skinny and i have always been taller and big boned. at the time i used to really take those comments to heart. now i look back on how "fat" i was then and wish i could be that slim again!

 

[Pin Wizard]

If the doctor didn't seem concerned at your visit, I wouldn't agonize over it. However, keep an eye on it! DS has been in the 95th percentile since he was born! And on a couple visits, the pediatrician said that he was "in the ozone layer!" LOL! At his physical in April, we found out that he's diabetic. It's all over my side of the family including me. But now the peds endocrinologist has him on a diabetic meal plan. And in just one month I can see he's slimming down! She's the second doc who said to me that we're going to have him grow into his weight as opposed to losing. Keep getting taller, Richard!!

 

[Trish Bessette]

I'm glad to read my daughter is like so many of yours. She is 9 (soon to be 10) and since birth she had been off the charts in both height and weight. She now weighs about 109 but is VERY tall, about 5'2! She has matured early, but really looks good. In fact, we share clothes! How funny is that?

I know she is aware of her size, as she asks "why am I so much bigger than everyone else in my class".

As someone mentioned earlier, as long as they don't have a big weight gain all at once you have no need to worry.

Encourage them to enjoy life. There will be plenty of time later on to worry about losing weight! Believe me!