For parents of obese children

metrovelvet

silverharp wrote: »

we have the opposite situation , my little lad has what I would describe as a greyhound physique and on occassion I've said to my wife is he underweight?, as it turns out he is perfectly normal, its just that the average is increasing in recent years. So imagine if I had thought that we needed to "fatten" him up a bit :eek:
There is a class element to this for sure, it would be hard to spot a fat kid in my son's school , yet its obvious if I'm ever in a more working class area the amount obese people does stand out.

Yep. But have you noticed how hard it is to get clothes that fit for the waist? I think they are making clothes for fatter kids. I either have to size down so the legs are 'where's the flood?' pants or make extra button holes in the waist.

Ayla

Actually, I'm thinking on what silverharp said...

A very good friend of mine growing up was extremely thin all her life. She ate like a horse but could never gain weight. Her parents were called in by the school/doctors several times b/c there were concerns that my friend was being malnurished. One look at her mom, however, quelled all concerns b/c she was a rake as well.

So if it's perfectly acceptable for schools to call parents with concerns of underweight children, why should they not be encouraged to contact parents of overweight children? Is this another case of PC gone mad?

silverharp

also I think some medical professionals are very bad at understanding what "average" means. As long as your above some objective measure of an unhealthly lower weight by definition an individual can only be below, at or above average. I think they mentally get fixated on the average. We had that problem with junior when he was a baby, they wanted by wife to stop breastfeeding because his weight was below "average" , thankfully we knew enough to disregard the advice.
also I think people misjudge that being a little pudgy is "better" somehow then looking a little under weight, clearly this is false.
another fallacy I guess is that say if a kid is going to be at or below average height by definition his weight gain should drop over the years, again this could be misread as not gaining weight at an average rate and "must do something about it"

kaa

Ayla wrote: »

Actually, I'm thinking on what silverharp said...

A very good friend of mine growing up was extremely thin all her life. She ate like a horse but could never gain weight. Her parents were called in by the school/doctors several times b/c there were concerns that my friend was being malnurished. One look at her mom, however, quelled all concerns b/c she was a rake as well.

So if it's perfectly acceptable for schools to call parents with concerns of underweight children, why should they not be encouraged to contact parents of overweight children? Is this another case of PC gone mad?

ya thats a good point...i agree....but these you have to be careful what you say to parents because anything could happen like...people could flip out.

Ayla

Of course it's a sensitive issue, but if everyone's too scared of offending someone (even if they have a medical concern for the child) then where are we going as a society? Should we not say something if we think there's abuse going on? What about if the kid's depressed? Taking drugs? Where does it stop?

Nothing has to be said in a brutal or insensitive way, but if there are genuine concerns (as there should be for a 16st teenager) then something should be said.

Naturally, this responsibility should fall to the family GP, but if the family doesn't have one then it's incumbent on the schools to express their concerns to the family. At least then the parents couldn't claim ignorance.

cynder

Anyone watch embarrassing teenage bodies?

I watched it the other night poor girl had polycystic ovaries and that caused massive weight gain, it that the mothers fault not a hope in hell.. you cant just think a child is big just beaceu of their diet.


Roast chicken and potatoes and steamed veg is not as healthy as it seems, many put butter on top of the chicken and also eat the skin, i healthy chicken should be cooked in butter and the skin should not be eaten, also carbs should be limited so only a small potato instead of a large potato or more potatoes, potatoes should be boiled and not roasted.

You cant eat roast chicken 24/7 there has to be some veriety. There is also a genetic factor that no one has taken into account.

Moonbeam

hmm butter you say, I am going to try that!
I don't eat it but the others might appreciate it!

Buying kids clothes for a skinny child is a nightmare,at least on Next jeans they have the button and elastic to tighten them.

Dudess

Ayla wrote: »

So if it's perfectly acceptable for schools to call parents with concerns of underweight children, why should they not be encouraged to contact parents of overweight children? Is this another case of PC gone mad?

No it's a case of people thinking that thin people won't be offended by comments on their weight because thin is so desired, which is tripe. I got made fun of in primary school for being thin and, like many people, I have crap body hang-ups (thankfully not as bad as when I was younger and ironically my body was better ) and it definitely started with that. Even if it's more getting fat that I grew up to be scared of, being made aware in that way of being thin started the pattern of body self consciousness...

I agree when a kid is very overweight it should be flagged, but as you say, sensitively, and not simplistically either - "Eat less and exercise" is correct but crap advice delivered in that way. Most people know it and if it were just a case of them merely changing their approach to that without a hitch, there'd be far fewer fat people.

I'd assume the effects of extreme thinness are faster than the effects of obesity too though - maybe I'm wrong, but e.g. a woman who is 21, 5 ft 5" and six stone may have stopped menstruating and her hair may be falling out and she may have brittle bones, whereas a woman of the same age and height who's 15 stone is obese (if at the lower end of the scale) but the physical effects on her health (bar the increase in body mass) might only be shortness of breath when walking uphill. Not saying the latter isn't bad, but it's not as severe as the effects of being underweight. If a woman starved herself for a week - e.g. just had coffee and the odd tiny morsel of food - versus eating 3,000 calories a day for a week, the physical effects of the starving would be more pronounced. I think we're wired to be more concerned about people who under-eat rather than over-eat. Maybe it's evolutionary, I don't know, but there shouldn't be complacency when it comes to over-eating (on a constant basis - the odd treat is reasonable in fairness).

Zamboni

grindelwald wrote: »

Anyone watch embarrassing teenage bodies?

I watched it the other night poor girl had polycystic ovaries and that caused massive weight gain, it that the mothers fault not a hope in hell.. you cant just think a child is big just beaceu of their diet.

For the overwhelming vast majority? Yes you can.

grindelwald wrote: »

Roast chicken and potatoes and steamed veg is not as healthy as it seems, many put butter on top of the chicken and also eat the skin, i healthy chicken should be cooked in butter and the skin should not be eaten, also carbs should be limited so only a small potato instead of a large potato or more potatoes, potatoes should be boiled and not roasted.

If you seriously think chicken skin and butter are unhealthy I would suggest you take a trip to the Nutrition forum on this website.

iguana

Dudess wrote: »

I'd assume the effects of extreme thinness are faster than the effects of obesity too though - maybe I'm wrong,

I also assume that eating too little would have a quicker negative impact than eating too much. However one thing which I believe is relatively common is that some over-weight people are also suffering from malnourishment as while they eat a lot they are still missing out on several important food groups. So are suffering from some ill effects of being both overweight and underweight.

karen89

As an aunt of a very overweight 14 year old I would like to say that it is small minded people like you that cause small minded attitudes!! My niece is 15 stone and appears to be obease - she has cancer and is recieving steroids as part of her treatment, and as long as she is overweight she is alive!! - YOU are furious - HOW DARE YOU

cynder

Zamboni wrote: »

For the overwhelming vast majority? Yes you can.


If you seriously think chicken skin and butter are unhealthy I would suggest you take a trip to the Nutrition forum on this website.

Well my daughter was diagnosed type 1 diabetic 4 years ago age 7, I know the ins and outs of diet, carbs, sugars, fats and so on.......

cynder

karen89 wrote: »

As an aunt of a very overweight 14 year old I would like to say that it is small minded people like you that cause small minded attitudes!! My niece is 15 stone and appears to be obease - she has cancer and is recieving steroids as part of her treatment, and as long as she is overweight she is alive!! - YOU are furious - HOW DARE YOU

Well said, totally agree with you, some people

Home your niece gets better. There are plenty here who are judgemental over weight issues, I for one am not, I take people how I find them not by how heavy they weigh.

Zamboni

grindelwald wrote: »

Well my daughter was diagnosed type 1 diabetic 4 years ago age 7, I know the ins and outs of diet, carbs, sugars, fats and so on.......

That is fine but don't confuse high calorie foods as being inherently unhealthy.
Chicken skin is not unhealthy.
If it is southern fried in vegetable oil and covered in breadcrumbs then it is unhealthy :pac:

cynder

http://nutrition.getfit.com/tips/fat-nutrition/chicken-skin/

http://www.ehow.com/about_5162363_foods-should-diabetic-not-eat.html

Chicken skin is not healthy its fatty.

Zamboni

grindelwald wrote: »

http://nutrition.getfit.com/tips/fat-nutrition/chicken-skin/

http://www.ehow.com/about_5162363_foods-should-diabetic-not-eat.html

Chicken skin is not healthy its fatty.

Mackerel, avocado, nuts, chicken skin - all fatty and all healthy.
This is off topic now so I will say this.
All fat is not created equal. Some good some bad.
No referencing of crappy websites will change that.

karen89

You are so full of your own importance - would you get real

Orion

karen89: attack the post not the poster. Please do not resort to namecalling.

I am a friend

Yesterday I got 5 chicken breasts (no skin), a bag of organic potatoes and frozen mixed veg for c€9. Frozen fruit salad in Dunnes was very cheap as well...
That would practically feed a family of 2 adults and 2 kids for 2 days (maybe a bit more chicking needed) so I see the cost excuse as exactly that - an excuse...

I dont remember any over weight kids when we were young because we didnt have the money to be buying junk food / going to McDonalds etc. We were always out, playing tennis, cycling etc and not lounging round the house playing on playstation...

If you wanted to talk to your friend you cycled over to their house and you didnt call them on your mobile.. The only people to blame are the parents as they ultimately hold the purse strings.