Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0
Overweight: Why Is My Child Gaining Too Much Weight?
Fatness is often simply normal and necessary for a child.
See Overweight: Is My Child Too Fat?
Sometimes, however, fatness is abnormal and unnecessary.
Here are some of the reasons children gain unnecessary
weight.
OVERFEEDING
It's hard to overfeed a child. To do so, you would need to
insist at almost every feeding that your child eat more than
he wants. Children naturally know how much they need to eat,
and they automatically make up for eating too much. If they
overeat, they don't get hungry as quickly or they don't eat
as much the next time.
See Eating Basics: Helping Your Child Eat Well
PROVIDING ONLY CALORIC BEVERAGES
If, when children are thirsty, the only choices are juice,
milk, or soda, they could get too many calories. Children
need to learn to drink water for thirst and drink milk and
juice as mealtime and snacktime foods.
FEEDING TO QUIET AN UPSET CHILD
It's easy to give an upset or crying toddler a cookie when
you want some peace. Unfortunately, that action teaches the
toddler to think about eating whenever she gets upset. It
is best to stick to a set time for meals and snacks.
LIMITING EXERCISE
Children may gain weight if they have too little exercise.
For example, they may have an injury such as a broken leg
that makes it difficult for them to move around. Children
will normally be active if they can. Give children a safe
environment and room to move around and play so they can be
as active as possible.
LIMITING HOW MUCH THEY EAT
If you try to get children to eat less than they would like
to eat, they become preoccupied with food and overeat when
they get the chance. Children who are fed in this controlled
fashion become fatter, not thinner, than children who are
allowed to eat until they are full.
FAILING TO RECOGNIZE FAMILY STRESS
Children sometimes react to stress by eating too much,
exercising too little, or both. Instead of trying to get
them to eat less or exercise more, it is important to get to
the bottom of what is going wrong. Then you can try to
change the situation and help them to feel better.
STRUGGLING OVER FOOD
Studies show that children who later become fat had more
feeding problems in the early years than children who stay
slim. Struggles over eating can interfere with a child's
ability to know how hungry he is.
CALL YOUR CHILD'S PHYSICIAN DURING OFFICE HOURS IF:
- You and your child are struggling over eating.
- Your child has suddenly gained a lot of weight.
- You don't know how to stop limiting your child's food
intake.
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