'Obese' children

[Vicky.]

OK so I keep reading that apparently 1/4 school children are obese. But when I walk past schools when they are coming out and such, I see maybe one or two kids I would say was really overweight out of the whole school. I used to take gavs kids to school a while back and that school has maybe 250 kids in it, only one that I would say was obese, a couple who were a bit chubby, but most looked extremely healthy.

I do not think BMI is a good indicator of childrens weights at all...I apologise for the link from the sun (I know many dont like the paper) but here are 4 kids that have been classed 'obese' from their school weigh ins...

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/health/4358894/All-four-of-these-kids-are-deemed-obese-in-school-weigh-ins.html

Now, maybe at a push I would say the first one looks a little chubby..the second is also chubby but it is explained that she was born without a thyroid. And she still wouldnt be 'obese' in my eyes either.

The last two are just ridiculous, especially the kid at the bottom of the page. I wonder if my eyes dont work right, because he looks closer to underweight to me :conf:

Is there really a child obesity crisis? I seriously dont think there is. However if these healthy looking kids are the ones classed as 'obese' then I can see where the 1/4 figure comes from. I just disagree with them and think BMI (if this is what it says) should not be used for kids.

[More links on this topic

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2093631/How-boy-labelled-clinically-obese.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7464888/Boy-of-five-labelled-obese-and-given-heart-disease-warning.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2133428/Is-child-left-Britain-ISNT-obese-Mother-s-fury-sporty-girl-weighs-just-3st-7lb-branded-overweight.html ]

[MTVN]

lol that is ridiculous, I've always been pretty sceptical of the child obesity statistics that papers trot out because from my own experience nowhere near a quarter of kids would I consider obese

[Niamh.]

Yeah, In my kids schools there aren't many kids I'd even class as over weight tbh, maybe a couple out of each of their classes and even at that those kids don't look Obese, a little chubby maybe

[Kizzy]

I think it is disgusting to label kids as obese, no wonder there is an increase in cases of anorexia and bulimia in younger children!

[arista]

I think it is disgusting to label kids as obese, no wonder there is an increase in cases of anorexia and bulimia in younger children!



There is a problem
with some parents
and those chubby kids become Obsese Adults
thats all the Health Dept is trying to Halt.


Do not get Uptight with a general letter
is the answer.



Life In The City.

[arista]

"I do not think BMI is a good indicator "


Yes Vicky it has Faults
so what is needed is a Visit at Homes to see whats going on
but no funding is ready for such a great move, yet.

[Mystic Mock]

When I was at Primary School there was a few chubby children (including myself) but I wouldn't say there was anyone obese at the time anyway.

[Irene Pearson]

When I was at Primary School there was a few chubby children (including myself) but I wouldn't say there was anyone obese at the time anyway.

Lot's are "obese" now. Just another type of child abuse IMO

[LemonJam]

I genuinely think they're getting their statistics from fat camps now because there's no way one in four children are obese.

[Jesus.]

Maybe we're not seeing them, because they can't fit through the doors to get into the community?

Just sayin'

[Redway]

Personal experience counts for nothing and you'd have to go by a far bigger barometer than anecdotal evidence. I don't know what to make of the statistics but I dare say they're more reliable than one person's views.

[Vicky.]

Personal experience counts for nothing and you'd have to go by a far bigger barometer than anecdotal evidence. I don't know what to make of the statistics but I dare say they're more reliable than one person's views.

This is fair comment, but would you say any of the kids photographed who have been declared 'obese...are obese? I certainly wouldnt, but if healthy kids like that are classed as obese then I see how they reckon 25% of kids are, surprised its not more tbh.

[Ammi]

..it's not just what they consider to be overwieight though....every child is weighed at Primary school and we have just as many parents upset that their children are considered to be underweight as well..I have no idea how they work out a child's 'preferred' weight, but however it is..it's silly....

[Redway]

This is fair comment, but would you say any of the kids photographed who have been declared 'obese...are obese? I certainly wouldnt, but if healthy kids like that are classed as obese then I see how they reckon 25% of kids are, surprised its not more tbh.

I don't see how either but the whole weighing scale thing is a bit ridiculous at times lol. I wouldn't say that one in four children is what I would consider to be obese but that's what these statistics are saying...but you're right in saying none of them look (particularly) overweight.

[Petershaw1984]

Crazy stupid stats

[Nedusa]

What chance do children have these days to stay thin ? Not much chance is the overwhelming reply. Lets leave to one side the proportion of children who carry the fat gene or have medical issues that result in a higher weight than normal, lets look at how the odds are stacked against the vast proportion of children when it comes to staying slim.

First diet, with the current climate of cheap fast food loaded with carbs and saturated fat , many families on modest or low incomes simply cannot afford to provide more expensive Balanced meals and invariably resort to fast food. Couple this with the addictive nature of this food then fast food eventually becomes the norm together with takeaway food and delivered cooked food. Throw in the TV dinner climate we live in now and the high percentage of single parent families then meals around the table really are a thing of the past.

Then there is exercise or should I say the lack of it, children used to be out and about in parks playing sport now they are carried everywhere in cars and elect to play computer games for hours in their bedrooms again with no exercise potential except of course their thumbs.

A combination of these two main societal changes has certainly resulted in a far higher obesity percentage and the problem is only going to get worse as these children grow up to develop related health issues and pass their bad habits to their children.

A further factor in this is the lack of any real effort by the Govt to regulate advertising by fast food companies, rather letting them sponsor major sporting events like the Olympics thus give respectability to this very unhealthy food.

I guess when the Healthcare bill finally exceeds the Tax from these companies and tax from a whole range of unhealthy foods then we might finally see some progress in this very worrying situation.

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

i just saw a fat kid in the cake aisle at morrisons

[Kizzy]

What chance do children have these days to stay thin ? Not much chance is the overwhelming reply. Lets leave to one side the proportion of children who carry the fat gene or have medical issues that result in a higher weight than normal, lets look at how the odds are stacked against the vast proportion of children when it comes to staying slim.

First diet, with the current climate of cheap fast food loaded with carbs and saturated fat , many families on modest or low incomes simply cannot afford to provide more expensive Balanced meals and invariably resort to fast food. Couple this with the addictive nature of this food then fast food eventually becomes the norm together with takeaway food and delivered cooked food. Throw in the TV dinner climate we live in now and the high percentage of single parent families then meals around the table really are a thing of the past.

Then there is exercise or should I say the lack of it, children used to be out and about in parks playing sport now they are carried everywhere in cars and elect to play computer games for hours in their bedrooms again with no exercise potential except of course their thumbs.

A combination of these two main societal changes has certainly resulted in a far higher obesity percentage and the problem is only going to get worse as these children grow up to develop related health issues and pass their bad habits to their children.

A further factor in this is the lack of any real effort by the Govt to regulate advertising by fast food companies, rather letting them sponsor major sporting events like the Olympics thus give respectability to this very unhealthy food.

I guess when the Healthcare bill finally exceeds the Tax from these companies and tax from a whole range of unhealthy foods then we might finally see some progress in this very worrying situation.

Fat gene and single parent blaming aside, allowing the colonisation of our high streets and sports events sponsorship is one area the govt can help.

[Irene Pearson]

Fat gene and single parent blaming aside, allowing the colonisation of our high streets and sports events sponsorship is one area the govt can help.

Yes and they continue to ignore it. If parents were allowing their kids alcohol and cigs(equally health damaging substances) they would be wrong.

[Ninastar]

people can be classed as obese but not look it

[Jesus.]

i just followed a fat kid in the cake aisle at morrisons

Fixed.

[InOne]

Send them all to Fat Camp and have done with it.

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

Fixed.

:joker:

[Gordan Bennett]

I blame Jamie Oliver.

[arista]

I blame Jamie Oliver.

http://www.thisisbigbrother.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5704973#post5704973