What should a four year old weigh?
When the NCMP informs a parent their child is overweight, what questions do
they ask and what is their online journey?
May 2014
When I received that letter in January 2014, I followed the links supplied and was left upset, ill-informed and angry.
Later on when I found out – after several phone calls - that no four year old should be put on a restricted diet, I was shocked.
The NHS sites I’d been recommended did nothing to dispel my assumption that a reduced calorie diet would be the right thing to do next.
These slides show the path I took through the NHS supplied links, in search of answers to a simple set of questions.
I think there are a set of practical questions any parent would want answered immediately:
What weight should a four year old be?How much weight per week should he be losing?How many calories should a four year old have – and made up of what?How many calories should he have to lose weight?What is the right portion size for protein, vegetables, carbs and grains?What is an acceptable calorie count for a child’s meal?
Nothing about four year olds,
but does suggest using MyFitnessPal
Nothing about recommended calories
for a child
Nothing about four year olds
Nothing about four year olds
Nothing that answered any of my questions – I was increasingly angry….
Nothing to suggest I shouldn’t put my child on a diet. In fact advice to use MyFitnessPal
Second link followed:
http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/change-for-life.aspx
Entered search term “Four Year
Olds”
“Me Size Meals”
I was furious.
Suggested, finally after several phone calls, by lady at Civic Centre, Twickenham
lady. You need to scroll for the
information….
Finally some useful, practical
advice
By blogging about it, I came across the best resource so far. Exactly the information you are
looking for as a parent, a sensible ‘user journey’ to get to it: www.portionwise.net
Portionwise links through to: http://w82go.ie/for-parents-2/healthy-growth-and-development
/
Which is the first place I found the critical advice that you should not put a young child on a calorie
restricted diet.
Top Related