Schools need bigger furnitire--so that they can accommodate obese students

[CMdeux]

Funny.  That's what I weighed when I graduated from college, Mfamom.  I was definitely NOT "obese."

[kouturekat]

2 days in a row out doing errands and saw 2 small girls about 3 or 4 obviously too plump and overweight.  That's what kills me.  A former male friend of mine has a daughter now in 1st grade.  Last year she was 130 lbs as a 5-year old in Kindergarten.  No, she is not tall AND I knew her when she was a year old and of an almost normal weight.  Slightly heavier than average, but that's it.  She is short to average in height.

Now think about it.  We had a little girl in Kindergarten who weighs more than me!  Do I think the parents are neglectful based upon what I knew and saw?  Yes, I do.  The older sister of this girl weighed about 180 last year as a 6th grader at about 5'2".   And they're son as a 4th grader weighed more than Ryan who was in 8th grade.   Their personal lives were a mess, the kids were somewhat ignored, and they had to deal with hurtful comments from kids in school.  And the father says, "Oh, it doesn't bother her (his oldest).  She's tough." 

Yeah, her tears went ignored.  Both parents look the other way as far as health issues with their kids (not just weight).  This is extreme, but it bothers me still.  The hurtful comments and looks they get from their peers, I just hate thinking about it when something could be done.  Bigger desks?  Gosh, talk about them feeling different even more.  Bigger desks for tall kids, yes, but bigger desks for heavy kids?  Isn't that like pointing out the obvious.  I don't 'know what is worse.  The stigma of the bigger desk or the embarrassment of trying to get out of a smaller one.

[kouturekat]

Yeah, BMI's for athletes can produce bogus BMI scores.  Tools.  Merely tools.   

Vision is a pretty good tool also .

[Mfamom]

Yeah, BMI's for athletes can produce bogus BMI scores.  Tools.  Merely tools.   

Vision is a pretty good tool also .

lol yes.  i remember when dr said it, his back was to ds
I said OMG LOOK at him!  He doesn't have any fat!! 
Then, he tried to justify his "mistake" by saying, I'm just saying, he gained 22 pounds each of the past two years.  You want to be careful.   

[Arkadia]

i think it was his 11 year check up .  in his book it says he was 5'7" 137lbs.

my daughter will probably be close to those numbers.

in sixth grade my older son was probably 175- 180 pounds. he really thinned out his freshman year . at one point he was around 217. 8th grade??

[TabiCat]

So here is food for thaught. Both of my kids fall well within normal on the charts fairly balanced for height and weight. NOT very high on height and low on weight. So why inorder to find pants long enough I have to buy adjustable SLIMS. If they are average healthy weight for height wouldn't ADVERAGE clothes be the closest fit?

They don't look tall and over slim. They are by no means chubby but don't look SLIM.

[Mfamom]

i think it was his 11 year check up .  in his book it says he was 5'7" 137lbs.

my daughter will probably be close to those numbers.

in sixth grade my older son was probably 175- 180 pounds. he really thinned out his freshman year . at one point he was around 217. 8th grade??

He's slowed waaaay down.  He is about 5'11" and 165--170.  start of bb season, he was a bit over 170 but he runs a lot for bb and has zero fat. 
I am hoping for another growth spurt to get him over that 6' mark.  he is still quite a bit taller than his peers.  definitely has a different body type.  He looks like he lifts regularly but doesnt. 

[CMdeux]

So here is food for thaught. Both of my kids fall well within normal on the charts fairly balanced for height and weight. NOT very high on height and low on weight. So why inorder to find pants long enough I have to buy adjustable SLIMS. If they are average healthy weight for height wouldn't ADVERAGE clothes be the closest fit?

They don't look tall and over slim. They are by no means chubby but don't look SLIM.

I don't know the answer, Tabi, but I strongly suspect that clothing manufacturers have adjusted sizing.  Truly.

DD has worn clothing that was mine as a child-- and it fits her fine.

I was NOT a 'skinny' child, and my physical type was "sturdy" rather than delicate.  No, not 'fat' but muscular. Like a gymnast, which I was for a while.

I distinctly recall "regular" sizing occasionally being too snug in my thighs as a kid.  Now, though, even "slim" sizes can truly HANG on my DD.  Now, maybe she really does have a radically different physique than mine, but her development and wearing of select clothing that my mom had saved from my own childhood, and her height at different ages would argue that it's not that different.

For the past 5 years, the only pants that fit her are, as you noted, adjustable waist slims-- anything that is NOT 'slim' simply falls off of her or is about 4-6" too short.   

[Arkadia]

i think it was his 11 year check up .  in his book it says he was 5'7" 137lbs.

my daughter will probably be close to those numbers.

in sixth grade my older son was probably 175- 180 pounds. he really thinned out his freshman year . at one point he was around 217. 8th grade??

He's slowed waaaay down.  He is about 5'11" and 165--170.  start of bb season, he was a bit over 170 but he runs a lot for bb and has zero fat. 
I am hoping for another growth spurt to get him over that 6' mark.  he is still quite a bit taller than his peers.  definitely has a different body type.  He looks like he lifts regularly but doesnt.

My son doesn't look like he "lifts regularly", just looks like someone you wouldn't want to. 

He greets you with a friendly pat on the back, and I have to remind him that his "gentle" pat still knocks the wind out of you. It smarts.  Actually, no, it sends a shock right through me if I'm not ready for it.    Can't wait to see the "pat" he gives his little sister's first boyfriend. 

Early morning picture of him with grammie and the girls birthday morning for my youngest.



He's 200 lbs now (down 17 from the start of his freshman year), and he's a 17 neck, (really trying to keep it that size, since sleep apnea is on his dad's side) 38-39 sleeve, but definitely needs an "athletic" or "slim" dress shirt and in casual dress shirts most certainly needs a 2X Tall to fit his shoulders. 16 shoe.


His "pediatrician" said to expect him to keep growing till he's 21.  He's asked once or twice about a weight set, but not quite wanting to be party to him tearing up his back and joints or taunting the propensity for triple AAA on my father's side of the family. His choice, though. Cardiovascular seems the way to go.

[rebekahc]

well, we had an issue with the BMI index when ds went for his 10 or 11 year checkup.  He was considered obese on the chart for his age, weight and height.  Meantime, he is very lean and muscular (has always been naturally muscular) and muscle weighs a whole lot more than fat which is apparently what skewed the chart numbers.

It was a horrible thing.  It didn't help that the dr didn't look at him before declaring him obsese.  He was already a lot bigger than his peers (height wise) and he was really self conscious about it for some time  asking me if he is really fat. 

He was the furtherst thing from obese!  Very much in shape, low pulse because he's active. 

right now, he is struggling with everyone asking him how much h bench presses, but he's never lifted weights.  little comments about 'roids etc but he seems to take it in stride.

The exact same thing happened to us at DD's last check-up.    The doctor never once took into account her muscle mass!

Does she look obese to you?



She does like being strong and has no problem arm wrestling (and beating) all the boys in her grade!  Here's what one of them posted to her on FB - too funny!

Tbh.... You're really freaking strong! I don't know what you cheerleaders eat but it works....

[Mfamom]

No!  but she's very pretty!!!  How is she feeling?

[rebekahc]

Aww, thanks!

She's feeling ok. Her foot is starting to heal. Back still hurts, but neurosurgeon said not to worry about the dx'es for now. If its still hurting in a few months he will do an MRI. He doesn't think there's any reason to limit her activity for now, though.