Question is about my 7 year old daughter who weighs 80lbs

Pickle_Ninja

So I guess its more I want direction on where to look..I know this site if for adults and I am a member here not my 7 year old of course. So I don't know what to do. I am doing my best to show by example how to eat. And I do as much as I can control what she's eating. But for as long as she could talk and walk she will want to eat constantly. Anytime a different person in the house wants a snack she needs a snack too. (not everyone wants a snack at the same time, so as you can imagine she's trying to double up on snacks constantly) I try my best to control this..but at the same time I don't want to make it into a big deal as if she has a problem. Don't want her with issues.. I mean I was once called chubby (when I wasn't) as a kid and I swear is scarred me for life.

So what do I do? She's in school 5 days a week and I know she must bum food from other kids...I don't want to bring it up to her teacher etc cause its embarassing. And I don't want her to feel singled out.

Anyways she is tall she's about 4ft so fairly tall, and she's 80 lbs. 80! is that really bad? see I don't even know she's got a fair amount of rolls.

Seems like it should be a simple solution, control control control..but how do I do that without singling her out?

m_davis0419

Talk to her pediatrician, who is qualified to give you great advice and guidance on what's normal for your daughter and strategies to help her develop healthy eating habits, or rule out potential problems that could be making her hungry.

estatitra

What is her paediatrician/family doc's opinion? Do they think she is overweight? There are dieticians/nutritionists who work with kids and they can give you great tips about how to handle this.
I wonder if you could take her with yourself for walks or bike rides. Sometimes being active curbs the appetite.

Pickle_Ninja

Also another question is maybe getting her allergy tested a good idea...my husband has food senstivitys his mother also has wheat issues...could this be maybe a reason for weight?

and also what should I do to address constant hunger. She seriously would match how much my husband eats (he's 6'2) in one sitting if allowed.

alexandriax03

You need to check with a pediatrician and make sure your daughter doesn't have any metabolic disorders that are contributing to her weight.

Look at family history… Does obesity run in the family? If yes, she may have inherited the genetic tendency to gain weight.

Once you meet with a pediatrician and rule out any physical medical conditions, ask for a referral to a dietician who can set up a plan for you and your daughter.

estatitra

Well that usually doesn't lead to weight gain, usually causes weight loss. in any case her doctor can tell you if she needs any kind of test.

jenifr818

Also another question is maybe getting her allergy tested a good idea...my husband has food senstivitys his mother also has wheat issues...could this be maybe a reason for weight?

and also what should I do to address constant hunger. She seriously would match how much my husband eats (he's 6'2) in one sitting if allowed.

I'd recommend talking to her pediatrician about this. There are some disorders out there that cause excess hunger in kids. They're extremely rare, but wouldn't hurt to get her tested. If that's not the cause, it might just be that she's getting ready to hit a huge growth spurt and go up in height some more

Pickle_Ninja

What is her paediatrician/family doc's opinion? Do they think she is overweight? There are dieticians/nutritionists who work with kids and they can give you great tips about how to handle this.
I wonder if you could take her with yourself for walks or bike rides. Sometimes being active curbs the appetite.

I did and he just told me to make sure there's healthy options " check" do that already...

Exercise "check" we go swimming, skating, I take kids to park all the time.

I will maybe ask if I can see a nutritionist about constant hunger, she's a very implusive person, and I think alot of it is that...she eats before she thinks. Just really likes food any food...

alexandriax03

Also another question is maybe getting her allergy tested a good idea...my husband has food senstivitys his mother also has wheat issues...could this be maybe a reason for weight?

and also what should I do to address constant hunger. She seriously would match how much my husband eats (he's 6'2) in one sitting if allowed.

Yes. She could have Celiac. It's determined by a simple blood test.

broox80

My 7 year old son is 77 lbs. His pediatrician is in no way worried about his weight. He bulks up in the winter and thins out in the summer. Im sure she will be fine. I know it concerns you though. I have been concerned too but his Dr has reassured me not to worry or take any action.

Pickle_Ninja

My 7 year old son is 77 lbs. His pediatrician is in no way worried about his weight. He bulks up in the winter and thins out in the summer. Im sure she will be fine. I know it concerns you though. I have been concerned too but his Dr has reassured me not to worry or take any action.

Thanks yes it worries me so much. I want her to not have to struggle with weight starting at this young. And again I dont want her stressing this young either...just seems that since trying harder to control her trying to match what everyone else is eating, shes only gotten bigger

alexandriax03

OP: It'd be easier to answer the question if we had a picture of your daughter… you can crop out her face for obvious reasons. But if she is apple shaped (carries most of her weight in her stomach), that is more of a concern because it puts her at more of a risk for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

VastBreak

I try not to make a huge deal out of the amount of food my kids eat. I let them have snacks and junk but it is in limited portions. I try to make healthier options for cookies and muffins. They each have chips everyday but it is only a lunch snack, my kids know they can have junk but they don't abuse it in the house.

My 5 year old eats an absurd amount of food but I try to make it dense foods to help fill him up and keep him going. If I put a bowl of grapes out they go crazy quick. Not so quick if I leave them in the fridge. Same with popcorn. I can make a huge bowl and eveone is happy while waiting for dinner to finish!

Kids Ike to eat and need to eat! Those growing bodies need nourishment!

silenceinspace

Also another question is maybe getting her allergy tested a good idea...my husband has food senstivitys his mother also has wheat issues...could this be maybe a reason for weight?

and also what should I do to address constant hunger. She seriously would match how much my husband eats (he's 6'2) in one sitting if allowed.

You should talk to her pediatrician. Also, what does she eat? I'm not at all qualified to judge, nor am I trying to, but if she's eating calorie-dense foods (sweets, ice cream, etc.) then she won't feel as full.

However, I also would've eaten as much as possible when I was younger, and several times ate to the point of sickness. Try to get her to eat more slowly and really recognize signs of fullness vs. just liking the way food tastes.

Pickle_Ninja

OP: It'd be easier to answer the question if we had a picture of your daughter… you can crop out her face for obvious reasons. But if she is apple shaped (carries most of her weight in her stomach), that is more of a concern because it puts her at more of a risk for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Its really hard to tell when shes clothed otherwise I would...she is quite tall for her age, she's likely even taller that 4ft havent measured her height in awhile. but yes I can say she carries it all in her stomach, she hasnt even been able to wear jeans for a good two years...her belly is just too extended and I can't find ones big enough but with short enough legs And shes got mega rolls around her arms pits, breasts.

jkleon86

maybe first you could concentrate on getting her more active and away from the snack area.
Don't have the junk snack around so much have fresh fruit available. With less junk snacks she might start reaching for an apple or banana instead. ......just ideas.

Pickle_Ninja

Also another question is maybe getting her allergy tested a good idea...my husband has food senstivitys his mother also has wheat issues...could this be maybe a reason for weight?

and also what should I do to address constant hunger. She seriously would match how much my husband eats (he's 6'2) in one sitting if allowed.

You should talk to her pediatrician. Also, what does she eat? I'm not at all qualified to judge, nor am I trying to, but if she's eating calorie-dense foods (sweets, ice cream, etc.) then she won't feel as full.

However, I also would've eaten as much as possible when I was younger, and several times ate to the point of sickness. Try to get her to eat more slowly and really recognize signs of fullness vs. just liking the way food tastes.

I limit "junk" alot...I don't eat it...dont like it so its not in the house too much. And luckily she likes everything, even veggies, fruit. But I think she does raid others lunch boxes at school...not sure how to broach that or even if I should...its not really teachers job to patrol her food intake.

mathjulz

So, according to the cdc website, her BMI is roughly 24.5 which does put her in an "obese" category (but don't put too much stock in this label or get disheartened, just start taking a few proactive steps). We came upon this same issue when my son was young, and we had to change some habits in our house, but now, years later, he's no longer overweight at all and has developed some reasonably good habits.

Try steering her to fruit and vegetables when she has a snack (in fact, do this for everyone in the household). We keep apples in the fridge and go through 3-5 pounds a week (mostly two boys eating them, 1 a day at least). Carrot sticks, raw broccoli or cauliflower, celery sticks, sweet pepper slices, etc. The crunch can be very satisfying, and most kids need more vegetables and fruits in their diet anyway.

I allow my kids to have a small amount of ranch dressing with their veggies. A bit of peanut butter on celery is good too. However, you do want to monitor this as the calories from those can add up quickly. Allow all the vegetable she wants, but only 1 serving of dip. Make it more about fair ("you had your serving already, you can't have someone else's for today too") rather than about weight or calories. Do the same thing for any non-veggie or fruit treats, like chips or cookies, that you allow. One serving. That's it. Otherwise it isn't fair to everyone else who gets less if one or two people eat more. (Help her count out the chips in a serving, and know how many cookies are a serving, and only allow that much … for anyone). But keep the not-so-healthy snacks to a minimum in the house.

Also increase her activity. Turn off the tv and computer and video games and send her outside to ride her bike or play on the swings or something. Take walks together. Go to the park and let her play on the playground. Even in the winter, she can wear a coat (unless it is in the negatives). If you have a game system, invest in Just Dance or a similar game and play together. For a lot of kids, activity is at least as big a factor as what they eat. Increase the activity level and you'll probably see a difference.

Since she's still growing, you probably don't need to worry about her losing weight, just slow down weight gain so that her height will catch up. I agree with the other poster who suggested talking to your pediatrician as well.

kgeyser

I would talk to her doctor about your concerns. One thing to consider is that she is still growing, and certainly wouldn't be the first child in history who got heavier before shooting up in height. I was worried that my daughter still had some baby fat, and I swear she grew four inches in height overnight and now looks slimmer, even though she weighs the same amount.

And although she is only 7, could any of this be related to puberty or a pre-cursor to puberty?

sargessexyone

Other then what other have already said about checking with her DR. Maybe you could trick her into thinking she's getting more at meal times with a smaller size plate (lunch plate vs dinner plate). Also, if she says she's hungry, and you know she should be, offer her an apple or other fruit. If she is truly hungry she will eat it. If she doesn't want it she really isn't hungry. This actually works for me too when I think I want something to eat. Unfortunately, I don't think there is really anything you can do about when she is at school.

vjohn04

Why don't you get her active in sports like tee ball or dance outside of the home so she's got something else to focus on?