Fitbit for Children Causes BodyImage Issues

MamaBear5445

So I may have bought our 5yr old a fit bit for Christmas... and close family said "well, they're going to grow up with body image issues!"
Obviously not my intent. Do you agree or disagree?

thelissakaye5006

I think it depends on a lot of factors. I think at 5 they are just going to think it’s cool to know how many steps they’ve taken. If they get obsessed with it, it could turn into a monster. I have a nephew who has always been into all kinds of tech gadgets and doesn’t care about fitness. I don’t think I’ve ever met a child under 12ish that cared about their weight or fitness really. I think if it is used as a tool to put a kid down… like saying they aren’t walking enough it could lead to feelings of resentment or inadequacy. I would say depends on the kid and how it is used.

KL1887

My youngest kid had one for a few years, she’s 11 now. Hers linked to an app that earned coins to play games but she never became obsessive about the numbers or coins earned. She liked seeing how much she did during a school day compared to the school holidays. She’s quite into health and fitness due to being a gymnast, but when it finally broke after a few years she didn’t miss it or even want another (her current school is strictly against phones/watches so she’d only be able to use it out of school hours now).

healthy2day2

It never occurred to me. My kids like tracking their steps and never made a connection to how it affects their body. They are 11 and 9 and have been using a tracker on and off for 2-3 years. Maybe as they grow into teens it will matter more?

earlybirdlady

No, a Fitbit alone will not make a child develop body image issues. Body issues stem from environmental factors like family members obsessing over what/how much a child is eating or exercising, or children observing people in their environment obsess about their own weight or comment on others’ bodies. I think a Fitbit can be a fun way for kids to learn more about their bodies in a functional way, rather than focus on how their body looks. It’s all about how you sell it to them.

StephanieMiracle

A fitbit or something in its likeness won't cause a problem because the child doesn't know yet what most people use those items for. However, I would not go as far to say that an obsession over weight and body image cannot happen at such a young age.

I was obsessed over taking control over that part of my life in grade school as early as I can remember (before the age of 12). No gadget created my obsession and no one else in my family could even relate or noticed, they were exactly the opposite. My obsession was not even conscious to begin with, and later became something I was more aware of as I grew older and learned what I was doing. I wasn't helped as a child with those habits.

I say this, only because you may want to be upfront and let your child know that some people use a fitbit for tracking their every day fitness, while others use it just for fun. Kids can be unpredictable in what they learn from their peers, and one child may have see or know someone who tracks everything like a ritual and obsesses over their own journey. Let your child know that just because other people may be like that, their fitbit is just for fun.

csplatt

If it does, then they are mimicking an adult in their life

Lunasash

My son's school does challenges like a 100 mile club, kids get rewards for walking 100 miles throughout the school year. He easily does 100 miles or more in a month or so. He loves to see how many miles he is getting and eventually wants to do track. He eats like a horse and we don't restrict food but try to make sure our meals are balanced. He is 6 and hasn't had any issues now. I think it depends how parents are talking to their kids about it and what emphasis they place on exercise and nutrition.

Hobartlemagne

Its probably going to be the influence from peers that cause that problem.
My 12yr old skinny son asked if he was fat a few times in the past year.
Ridiculous. We're always telling him to eat MORE!