A mum has sparked a debate after admitting that she worries about how much food her two-year-old daughter eats.
The mum said that her toddler eats large portions of food and that she wonders whether she should “limit what she eats.”
Her daughter was recently weighed during a hospital checkup and her mum said when she input her weight into a BMI calculator, it said she was “obese.”
Writing on Mumsnet, the mum said:
“Since moving onto solids she has always had a very healthy appetite and will eat pretty much whatever she’s given. Because she has always eaten big meals I have never given her any snacks in between.
“She is never given cake, crisps, biscuits etc. unless we’re at a party etc. I have asked the nurse and staff at her nursery about her weight and they have all said that she doesn’t appear overweight at all and that the BMI is not a good measure for younger children.”
The mum went on to say that she had struggled with her own weight over the years, and she doesn’t want to “pass her anxieties on to her.”
However, she also said she doesn’t want her daughter to grow up “with a weight problem.”
Some parents said the mum could consider reducing her daughter’s portion sizes if she was worried about her eating too much.
However, others argued that BMI calculators do not work for toddlers and that she needn’t worry at this stage.
Another said that the mum should definitely speak to her doctor before reducing any portion sizes, as a professional will know best about what does and what doesn’t need worrying about.
If you worried about your child’s weight, you should contact your GP.
