help...weight and developing issues in my 6 year old.?

Question

OK...my 6 year old daughter is a little overweight and becoming subconscious of it too. She says things like I am too fat, or people call me chubby. She always talks about exercising and eating better like she says we shouldn't eat pizza anymore or eat out ever. She also has already started developing boobs and I make her wear like sports bras everyday and she hates it. I don't know what to do, I have had her in sports and things but it doesn't help. Should I put her on a diet or what???

Answer 1

well you should concentrate on a healthy diet for the whole family. If she is active and eating healthy and goes for her checkups. Mention that you are concerned at her next appt. DId she put the weight on quickly (all of a sudden) then i would be concerned and want blood work done to check for diabetes. BUt other than that keep her active and eating healthy and dont worry about her being alittle overwieght, as long as she is healthy. As far as her developing breast, some of this could just be the weight. BUt my daughter 12 is wearing a 32 D already. SHe is close to 5 ft tall and is not bone skinny nor is she even close to being obese. Shes what most folks would call a thick now a days lolol. She started to devlope breast around 8 years old and got her first menstrual cycle at 11. It didnt concern me at all considering she is developing right at the same time I did. My only concern is that I had to have a breast reduction. And i really dont want her to have to go thru what i did. But atleast I can relate to her as a mom, and know what she is going thru when people say little tacky things about how developed she is. So i tell her all the time that she is perfect how she is. when she mentions that she might want to lose a little weight. I tell her to be happy with herself and to be healthy about what she decides. I tell her of the importance of eating healthy and excer. And Have explained to her that being bone skinny like models and some actresses is just as unhealthy as being severly overweight.

Answer 2

Six years old is too young to be developing boobs-seriously, take her to a doctor. As for her weight-lead by example and start introducing healthy food and snacks into both of your diets. Don't tell her she's on "a diet" because that can have a really negative connotation, and you don't want to bruise her self esteem at this tender age. Most children go through natural ups and downs as they grow, but if your child is becoming significantly overweight then changing to more healthy foods AND snacks plus exercise is the best solution. You should take her for a check up and ask the doctor about what her weight and heigth percentiles are; my daughter is 6, just had her check up and they let me know which percentile she falls under. It's a good idea to get a doctor's opinion about your child's weight. Childhood diabetes can also cause significant weight gain and obesity so you should see a doctor to rule out those possibilities. Good luck!

Answer 3

You should be feeding her an appropriate diet and controlled amount of food. The problem is, she eats at school and school food is horrible for you.

She doesnt need a diet, she needs to have a heatlhy lifestyle and way of eating.

Take her in and have her thyriod and hormones tested. Its more likely that she's over weight and has stored fat in the breast area, instead of actually developing breasts. It would be uncommon for her hormones to start puberty at age 6.

It sounds to be like her whole diet and activity style is not right, and should be monitored. It should be the whole family, not just her. If she has a weight problem, there are probably others in the family who do as well. Or else she's less active than all and eats the same poor diet and her body cant keep up.

Talk to you doctor, maybe consult a nutritionalist.

Answer 4

Kids don't need to be on diet, just change the family eating habits, for snack instead of potatoe chips, have the veggie chips, there are different ways to go about it. Fruit is always good, nuts unsalted for snacks. If you got to go for pizza make that a treat once a month, stay away from Mcdonlds, she is only six has someone been teasing her about being chubby, it sounds like baby fat. As her mom start doing some type of activity that you both enjoy such as roller blading or bike riding. Stop reminding her that she is chubby and she will be ok

Answer 5

Take her to her pediatrician and be aware that most children don't get chubby without their parents help....she may be in sports, but what do you allow her to eat? She mentioned cutting out pizza and fast food...if these are part of her regular diet, then they should be stopped. So many parents today feel they are depriving their children if they make them eat apples instead of giving them candy, but in the long run they are only setting their children up for self esteem and weight issues later in life. Love sometimes has to be tough and that means giving children what they need, not what they want. Setting a good example and developing good eating habits now will carry her through life. Also, make sure you cut out all high fructose corn syrup....this is a very nasty food ingredient found in juices (many marked as "light" or "healthy"), cereals, cookies, etc....many foods that children would typically eat. This is a very bad food additive that cannot be metabolized by the body and goes directly to fat storage. It is essentially toxic to the body and so if you are feeding it to your child (most people are unaware of it), you are essentially feeding her poison. Research it on the web if you don't believe me.

Ultimately, her pediatrician needs to be consulted and she may need to see a therapist for a little while. Sounds like she is already suffering from self esteem issues and so if you both start fixating on her weight, she is going to measure her worth according to her looks. Instead, when making dietary changes in your house, explain it as you are making choice for the two of you so that your bodies will be strong and healthy (take the focus off weight and put it on health).

Answer 6

Contamininants in our food supply (hormones in meat and milk, etc.) can be partly to blame. There have been many children reporting signs of puberty before kindergarten because of the hormones and antibiotics in meat and milk and from the effects of dangerous substances in health & beauty products as well as household cleansers.

Please read this article:
http://www.mercola.com/2006/oct/31/why-are-kids-entering-puberty-before-they-enter-school.htm

Our society's expectations about how we are "supposed" to look is also a factor and I think you should work to elevate your daughter's self esteem while also trying to help her with weight issues.

Follow the advice in the article on meat and milk usage and also try to eliminate sugary drinks such as soda pop, juice and kool-aid. Water is always the best drink. My kids always ask for water because that is what they are used to drinking. I think it is better to say something like "this is healthier for us" rather than "this will help you lose weight" to encourage her healthy habits without putting more negative emphasis on her weight.

Teach her that a "treat" is only a "treat" when we don't eat it everyday. She can have pizza or a couple of cookies once a week, but not everyday. It is best for the whole family to employ healthier eating so she is not singled out. Whole, real foods should be the biggest part of everyone's diet. Processed foods and those high in sugar should be consumed as infrequently as possible. I would also eliminate anything with hydrogenated oils (use butter instead of margarine).

Here is a source for children's dietary needs:
http://www.kidsnutrition.org/consumer/nyc/vol_2004_4/index.htm

My website has natural health and beauty products as mentioned in the article. I have regular shampoo or baby hair and body wash, cleansing gel for hands and more. If you need any specific recommendations, please let me know.

Allison Marie Saad
http://healthynatural.myarbonne.com

Answer 7

no you shouldn't put her on a diet you should change the whole families way of life though by listening to your daughter clear the whole house of any junk food and replace your meals with healthy recipes make a point to go for a walk or bike ride or swimming or something every day as a family its definitely not gonna help her self esteem to watch her family eat stuff while she's eating differently comfort her and let her know your whole family is going to start living a healthier life starting now

Answer 8

Don't put her on a diet. Instead, concentrate on being healthy as a family. Revamp your food choices, start cooking together, and make it a family affair. Be sure you all stay active, yes. But it's the food that really makes the difference. Have healthy snacks and fun activities. (bored kids eat more) Assure her that as she gets taller, she'll thin out. Be healthy together and never say diet!

Answer 9

I think it's great you're concerned and considering doing something to help your daughter. Yes, you should do something. Maybe weight watchers or now there are nutrition programs for kids. She's developing boobs because fat produces estrogen. When you have lots of fat, you have lots of estrogen. This explains why fat guys get boobs.

Anyway, help her be the person she wants to be. This may involve you changing what you eat and do, as well. She may be doing you and your family a huge favor!

Answer 10

This all depends on how much overweight the child is, but, you should first portion her food. Give her smaller amounts of food to eat. After dinner, if he/she is still hungry, start teaching her/him to eat healthy snacks, such as salads, fruit,etc. You dont want to put him/her on a diet to soon. Also, start preparing the food different. For instance, instead of fried chicken, bake or grill, and take off the skin. Also , consult your child's nutrionist.