Overweight Children

More bad news---are parents able to fight against 5 billion dollars spent per year on advertising aimed directly at youngsters?

http://news.yahoo.com/selling-candy-babies-disturbing-between-junk-food-brands-185011170.html

My brother is 13 now, and he was really overweight at age 11, and then suddenly grew to be like 6'1" (and he still has a little boy voice, it's so weird). He's still heavier, but he cuts an imposing figure, not a fat one, if that makes sense.

My friends daughter is grossly overweight. Not my words, but her doctors. When she was 8 she was wearing a petite womans 2x clothes because normal kid clothes didn't fit her. Now she is 12 and is wearing a 2x still. She has diabetes, and the Doctor said that she is developing heart problems and high cholesterol because of this. Her mommy is also over weight, and is trying to cook healthier, walking, and got rid of the junk food. Her main problem is the child will not eat veggies. She is an extremely picky eater and is throwing a fit over the healthier food being brought in. So, I know they are really struggling. I know my post does not help much, but know you are not alone. I have seen my friend in tears trying to help her daughter.

I'd definitely go see a nutritionist about that one, they might be able to help him with his self control.

But yeah... make it a family thing. Don't buy junk., so self control is less of an issue, at least at home. No more sugary drinks at all either... just water. Good luck!

Since he has a health reason to be over weight and to not gain a lot of height and you've been at it for over 4 months now... I think it's time to go back to the Doctor and have them refer you to a nutritionist and/or dietician and create a healthy diet plan for him, that won't be hard to follow as a kid in Jr. High (for example they can teach him how to pick from the school menu or fast food joint if he's out with friends)

Times have changed and 1 out 3 children are obese today and not from a health issues but from poor diet and lack of exercise and it is seriously time for the parents to take action and stop saying they'll out grow it! I am very impressed with you because you are seeking answers to help your baby have a decent childhood and to get him healthy so he can live a long life... you're a good mom!

Even fat shaming in the name of genuine health concern can have lasting effects on children that age. Puberty may have some effect on him, especially since testosterone can help boost muscle development. Keep him enrolled in sports and activities that he genuinely enjoys. I'd read through some of the stories on Catay's "I was a fat kid... and this is my story" under the family section, to get an understanding of how real people (during youth) reacted to their family's panic over their fat childhood and how they wished things would have been handled instead.

I'd try not to make a big deal about it. If other than the thyroid issues, which likely caused the weight gain and not vice versa, he's a healthy kid, then don't worry so much. Don't make him feel isolated or punished for a body he can't control while his physiology is already changing and confusing. It's pretty normal at his age and if natural food choices are readily available to him, he will eat them. Maybe you could try baking sweets at home using coconut flour and almond meal, honey/fruit/stevia+monk fruit sweeteners, etc. Homemade is good, and a quick google search will find some awesome and healthy sweets packed with protein and fiber as opposed to empty calories that won't fill you up.

We have a slightly different version of this problem, in that my 10 year old stepson is obese and very inactive, but lives primarily with his mom and step-dad who eat a lot of fried foods, no fresh fruits and veggies, etc. When he is with us he doesn't have access to soda, has veggies with every meal (though this is a huge struggle, as the only ones he's accustomed to eating are corn and peas), and we are active daily. But it feels like a losing battle and breaks my heart to see him heavier every time we get him. I hate the idea that if he continues on this track he is likely to start having chronic health problems by the time he reaches adulthood.

Rather than focusing on what he shouldn't eat, help empower him by involving him in meal planning, shopping, and preparation. 12 seems like a good age to start learning how to cook. Obviously you won't send him out to fire up the grill by himself, but he can start helping. Summer is a great time to do this because it's so easy to find fresh, delicious foods at this time of year. You can take him to farmers' markets, where he can learn more about where food comes from and maybe get to sample some fruits and vegetables he's not as familiar with.

Hopefully he'll have a health class sometime in middle school, but you could even start talking to him about what protein, carbs, fats, and the different vitamins and minerals help our bodies to do. He's at an age where he can start thinking of food as fuel to help him rather than just something that tastes good.

Starting to build healthy habits now will really help him when he goes to college and starts life on his own. I teach at a college, and I see a lot of students struggling to learn how to eat on their own because they've never had to worry about their own nutrition before. I've actually started making food the theme for one of my units in my composition course because it's something I think is important for them to think, talk, and write about. I want to help them make more informed decisions.

You do have to take in account the pre-puberty weight gain EVERY guy experiences. You already know this isn't the cause of all his weight, but perhaps it's the reason for the continual gain despite being on medication now?