Weight of your child

How can I help my child maintain a healthy weight?

Overweight
Already at a young age you can identify if your child is at risk of being overweight/obese at adolescent age, resulting in the development of all overweight/obesity/hypertension related health dangers.

Research

A research from 1991-2006 closely montiored about 1050 children and measured weight and length ratio at several time points. Some results:

Children who are overweight at ages 24, 36, or 54 months during the preschool period are over 5 times as likely to be overweight at age 12.
During the elementary school period, ages 7, 9, and 11 years, the more times a child was overweight, the greater the odds of being overweight at age 12 years relative to a child who was never overweight.
60% of children who were overweight at any time during the preschool period and 80% of children who were overweight at any time during the elementary period were overweight at age 12 years.
None of the 1050 children whose BMI was below the average at all points during elementary school were overweight at age 12 years...

Hypertension in young adulthood
The chances that your child will develop hypertension (high blood pressure) at a later age can be reduced by watching your child's weight. Reasearch has shown that overweight children have a 400-500% bigger chance of becoming hypertensive at later age. (Especially for men.) Hypertension gives the highest risk of heart attack or stroke than any other disease. Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic renal failure.

Junk Food
Even before their second birthday, many American children are developing the same bad eating habits that plague the nation's adults -- too much fat, sugar and salt and too few fruits and vegetables.

A new study of more than 3,000 youngsters found significant numbers of infants and toddlers are downing french fries, pizza, candy and soda.

Children aged 1 to 2 years require about 950 calories per day, but the study found that the median intake for that age group is 1,220 calories, -- an excess of nearly 30 percent. For those 7 months to 11 months old, the daily caloric surplus was about 20 percent.

Conclusion
It is essential to address the eating and activity patterns of children who may be in the at risk group. A pro-active approach must be taken, rather than delaying and hoping these will rectify themselves over time. By spotting the early warning signs and acting accordingly, parents can reduce the chances of their child developing serious problems related to obesity. This includes hypertension, heart disease, some cancers and other serious health risks, which are related to bad eating habits.

Parents are responsible for their childs wellbeing, not only healthwise but also pyschologically. Children can be cruel. Obese children suffer from lack of self esteem and insecurity caused by taunts and comments from their peer group. It is up to parents to ensure their children live a happy and healthy life.

Comments: Weight of your child

Comments 1 to 24 of about 55.
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ZZtryingfornumber3 - 556 days ago.
Jessipoo: Not sure if you're still checking this site as your comment was a while ago, but want to let you know that I work in the medical field and it's typical to write 'reportedly' when writing about something that the parent has reported. Not bc they don't believe you, but so insurance companies know this was reported by the parent and not directly observed by the professional. Good luck!

mummy22 - 793 days ago.
jessipoo - i would look into getting her checked out just in case. given the circumstances you have given i would get mine checked over if it were me for peace of mind. don't feel intimidated by the nurse, you're doing a great job - perhaps some positive influence from her would have been nice!! i think i would have cracked it lol. i hate nurses!! :(

aggiemamma - 794 days ago.
At my daughters 3 yr old check up she weighed 27 lbs and 3 feet tall. 20 % for weight and average for height.

shinobissushi - 955 days ago.
my 29 month old has weighed 23lbs since she turned 1 no matter what diet we try for her to gain weight nothing works she has been on pediasure for 4 months and managed to gain like 3oz im not concerned because she is a healthy 2.5 year old girl lots of energy never sits down and very feisty..she is also only 33in wears 18 month clothing i have not had to buy anything which is good saves me money on clothing cost

janinem - 1030 days ago.
my 16-month-old ds is 22 lbs. sometimes i worry he's too skinny but he eats and seems healthy and has 2 to 3 poops a day so i think he's good! each and every child is different and as long as they are eating and going #2 and playing they should be fine.

cynlee47 - 1030 days ago.
My daughter is 21 months and just weighed in at 22.2lbs... The doctor didn't seem bothered by it so I am trying not to be bothered by it, but sometimes I just want to feed her a cake to fatten her up a bit... lol

maof2 - 1125 days ago.
my son is 3 will be 4 next month he is33pbs and my daughter is 1 and 25 pds!!

Beautiful Bre - 1155 days ago.
debsandgrace- my little boy who is 2 and a half yrs old only weighs like 23 lbs. which is extremely low and the drs say they are not too worried yet since he is definitely very active and he doesnt look like he is starved or anything. as a mother.. it really concerns me. he hardly eats. just likes his liquids! but my 6 month old is like 6 lbs lighter then him and loves to eat. i think it just really depends on your kid. since each and everyone is soo different

Aidensmommy1223 - 1156 days ago.
My son is now almost 3 months old and weighs 11lbs 6oz. Hes in the 33 percentile and he is small. My doctor says hes very healthy and he is a very happy baby and wakes for feeds, im breasfeeding exclusively and he said breast fed babies tend to be leaner. And i mean at first when he started gainin weight slowly (about 3-4 oz a week now) The nurse i was seeing for breastfeeding help kept asking if my milk supply was ok, and so id stress thinking its low, but i know for a fact its not and im not stressin about it, he eats like a lil piggie and he stops when hes full and he eats every 2-3 hours during the day and sleep 7 hours at night. He is just a little smaller but as long as hes happy and healthy, he said i have nothing to worry about , so im not, i would only be concerned if he didn gain weight, or started losing, and hes never lost weight.

debsandgrace - 1156 days ago.
Just had my 18mo weighed she's 21lb 13oz and 30in long. Health visitor said she's on 25th centile even though she has only gained 11oz in 4mths she's not concerned as shes so active and happy. My other two were big babies always on 95th centile. I'm enjoying having a petite little girl this time round her clothes last ages i get bored of them before she grows out of them lol

kayandrysmom - 1177 days ago.
my 13 month old daughter weighs 17.4lb and is 28.5 inches long so shes a tiny one. My older daughter is just about 5 and is 32lbs so they are both small. It is just genetics in our case...they always gain just not much

i love her - 1177 days ago.
just had my lil one 18month checkup she is 22.5lbs n is 30in tall...the doc said she is a lil small for her age with height n weight but she is a very healthy and active lil one

3girls2008 - 1221 days ago.
jessie- i was in the same boat with you! my daughter was constantly tiny only gaining about 5-10oz a month and at her 12mo checkup she only weighed 18lbs 4oz, she was always at the below 5% range on the growth curve. the hard part with your situation is your daughter is losing where mine always gained but not much. have you talked with your doc about doing testing? ragan (my daughter) eats like a horse sometimes eating as much as my older girls do but yet can't keep the weight on but for her to be losing weight i would be more concerned about that. good luck and try not to get too upset as all babies grow on their own!

jessipoo - 1221 days ago.
Hi all, My girl is almost 7 months old and is not gaining weight at all! She gained weight until she was 4 months old, then it started going down hill! She just seems to be losing all the time! She only weighs 13 pound 6 ounces, the heaviest shes ever been is 14 pound 12 ounces. She eats 3 solid meals a day with desserts too. 3 breastfeeds a day also. Yet shes not gaining. Im so worried. I had her weighed today, and the health visitos wrote that Rikku (my girl) is 'reportedly' eating 3 meals a day. I feel she doesnt believe im feeding her! But why would i lie and starve my child! Im so down about it and scared theyll think im abusing her or something terrible! What should i do! Anyone else know of any babies similar? Developmentally she is fine, she does everything a 7 month baby is expected to do. She smiles loads, laughs, shes active and loves playing. shes also sitting on her own! She looks normal too, she doesnt look scrawny, and sat next to the other babies her age she looks no different, even though they eigh about 4 pounds more than her! Please help, these so called 'professionals' are making me feel im a failure! im stuck on what to do to make my baby gain weight! x

adlde - 1297 days ago.
I just took my daughter to her 12 month check up and she is 29 inches long and weighs 20.4 lbs. Doctor says she is just under the 50% mark on the growth chart for weight. He wasnt too concerned. she is very active and is walking all over the place.

EloiseAndHarrys-Mummy! - 1346 days ago.
Hey i havent had my daughter weighed recently but she off to the doctors today for something else today and i think im going to ask if they can as when i put her on scales at home shes only about 19. something lbs and shes been like that for a couple of months. Shes very active and she eats home cooked healthy food most of the time. I have been giving her alot of biscuits etc the last month to see if she gains but nothing. Paul and i were both stick thin until we were in our teenage years. We're not fat now just not so skinny so maybe she going to be like that. It is a little worrying for all mums things like this, no harm in getting them checked, but from what i have seen what is classed as normal is anything as long as they are running about etc.

luv4lukas - 1358 days ago.
Hey ladies... my son will be 5 months in a week and he is a beautiful baby boy. When I went to the docs for his 4 month he was 17 lbs and 26.5 inches long! He's a big boy rangin in the top 95th average percentile ....but I love his little rolls! I honestly don't think that having an overweight or underweight baby is a problem under the age of 12 months! Its just when there's a HUGE change in there weight...that's when you need to be worried!

daniellel - 1370 days ago.
My baby is 3 an a half months old an he weighs 20 pounds! Hes a bigg boy!!

michahormiltedjmom - 1388 days ago.
Yeah, my daughter is bigger than all the babies we know. lol she will be 6 months next week and weighs about 20lbs. But she is long too. She's almost as big as my 18 month old nephew! He's 24lbs

ElliottnDeclans-mummy - 1394 days ago.
I had Elliott weighed Monday and he was 21lb 3oz (he is 8 1/2 months old) he is exactly the same as my friends 15 month old daughter who was born 2 and 1/2 months prem

hglynn - 1395 days ago.
Hello ladies, I have been reading your comments about your babies being underweight and my health visitor is constantly telling me that my daughter is underweight. She is 15 months old and is 20lbs 2oz. She eats constantly and has chubby bits on her legs, arms and tummy. She is just petite. I think its really unfair the pressure that is put on us parents to follow the guidelines and what should be the norm. What is normal??? All children are different! Isabelle is my first child and I for one am certain that I will not be going to see health visitors with my second if i ever have one. sorry for my rant but it makes me mad! but reading your comments here have made me feel loads better and that im not alone. helenx

daniellel - 1407 days ago.
I juss had my baby weighed yesterday, the doctor said he is 15lb 3oz and hes only 2 months old and that he is in the 97%tile She said not to worry and that hes perfectly healthy!

Co4 - 1407 days ago.
Happy Forest-- I'm happy that I'm not te only mom with a big baby like that. cuz my son was 17.11lbs @ 4 months && 25.5'' In the doc said he was in the 93% tile. I was worry about his weight, but I'm not cause he's healthy && I dont over feed him.

2ndontheway2010 - 1423 days ago.
jcpm- I wouldnt worry about her weight. It seems like you are doing everything that you should be doing. My daughter turns 3 in Oct and weighs 24lbs. The doctor told me it was just because she is so active. Unless she is showing any signs of being unhealthy- ie- lack of energy, bones sticking out oddly, etc, I wouldnt worry. Just remember that as a mom, you know your child best.

jpcm - 1423 days ago.
Hi, my oldest daughter, was 14.8 lbs at her 1 yr checkup....dr's alwasy told us she was just small. Now my daughter is almost 3 and weighs 24.75lbs, and we do have such problems with wic and NOW, dr's put her back on pediasure, but she won't drink it, so we are hiding calories, she eats awesome, healthier then i do in fact. She's just small and she is super super active!! They hav etried putting failure to thrive, but I have since found out, that unless she is lethargic, has problems sleeping, delays in development, that she is, just small, and no dr should have her down as failing to thrive, made me feel a bit better. I was so worried about it for awhile, wondering what we do/did wrong, we have scheduled an appt, with an endocrinologist, to check her hormones, to make sure there is not something going on there. We go in august, right before she turns 3.