Health advice for my 8 year old overweight son please...

[Deleted User]

Taliahmai wrote: »

I have considered changing my dr as he seams so unhelpful, but what puts me off is the fact he delivered me 31 years ago lol, (aswell as my brother and sister, 39 years ago) and he also made a point of coming up to the hospital after the births of all 3 of my children (all 3 by section) just to make sure everything was ok. He also signed my brothers death certificate and attended his funeral....so he does know my whole family really well

He might not be useless.. why would he refer you to a dietitian at your first visit? Surely a dietician would only be needed if your son couldn't keep to a diet or the diet didn't appear to be helping.

Can you imagine if every adult that wanted to loose weight was referred to a dietician? It would cost the NHS a fortune

faithcecilia

Taliahmai wrote: »

Kimberley, he loves pasta, his fave meal is a bowl of pasta with grated cheese and tomato sauce....not healthy i know...but he loves it. Unortunately his sister hates pasta lol

With a couple of 'tweaks' this meal could be a great meal for him! Have a look on the pasta bag and see what it suggests as a portion (I think its about 50g but not 100% sure), then weigh that amount - I am fairly sure it will seem tiny compared to what yopu are used to doing for him. When its cooked, add lots of veg (chopped to fork friendly sizes maybe), your tomato sauce, and a small amount of grated cheese, maybe 25g or so. If you go for a stronger cheese you won't need much to get the flavour. You also say he likes Quorn sausages, so maybe cook one or 2 of these and chop finely too to increase protein.

Nicki

Taliahmai wrote: »

I would love that recipe thank you ive never thought about putting a cream cheese and tomatoes together ina sauce, i usually use either one or the other!

I have considered changing my dr as he seams so unhelpful, but what puts me off is the fact he delivered me 31 years ago lol, (aswell as my brother and sister, 39 years ago) and he also made a point of coming up to the hospital after the births of all 3 of my children (all 3 by section) just to make sure everything was ok. He also signed my brothers death certificate and attended his funeral....so he does know my whole family really well

If he's an older doctor he probably doesn't know any more than you do about what is a healthy diet for an 8 year old! Advice has changed so much over the last 30 years and even if he ever knew anything about this area, which might in itself be doubtful, its highly unlikely he would have kept himself abreast with the changes as its not a core medical area for a GP.

It may be that your son doesn't meet the local nhs criteria for a referral to a dietitian. You could perhaps check this by phoning the local hospital and asking to speak to that team, and asking what their referral threshold is, and if you do meet it asking how to get yourself on their list. If you can't get a referral on the nhs could you consider a private consultation. I'd be a little wary of taking advice from an Internet forum however well meaning, as the guidelines for healthy nutrition for children are different to those for adults. You've already on this thread had suggestions that you limit carbs and fats, and follow a GI approach. These are all different dietary approaches - you shouldn't adopt all 3 at the same time - and I don't know which of them are suitable for an 8 year old.

lizbob

faithcecilia wrote: »

With a couple of 'tweaks' this meal could be a great meal for him! Have a look on the pasta bag and see what it suggests as a portion (I think its about 50g but not 100% sure), then weigh that amount - I am fairly sure it will seem tiny compared to what yopu are used to doing for him. When its cooked, add lots of veg (chopped to fork friendly sizes maybe), your tomato sauce, and a small amount of grated cheese, maybe 25g or so. If you go for a stronger cheese you won't need much to get the flavour. You also say he likes Quorn sausages, so maybe cook one or 2 of these and chop finely too to increase protein.

50g is the suggested portion for most adults,at 8 he really only needs half a normal portion.

i mix loads of mixed veg in with the pasta and sauce and then serve with a bit of low fat cheese on top when i'm trying to be healthy. cos of the sauce and cheese, i don't really notice i have less pasta - the volume looks the same.

also this was my best ever discovery - mix a pinch of salt with cottage cheese and spread on top of pasta sauce and veg for a pasta bake. when you cook it, it's like haloumi or mozzarella, so delicious and way less calories.

lastly have you tried replacing cous cous with quinoa? it's very similar but naturally high in protein so keeps you fuller for longer.

faithcecilia

lizbob wrote: »

50g is the suggested portion for most adults,at 8 he really only needs half a normal portion.

Thanks, I had a feeling it was a little high. Just had a google and while most sites are American, this one seems quite interesting and is a UK site. This suggests 40g for children 5-11, and also has a visual guide which may well shock you!!

Taliahmai

ringo_24601 wrote: »

He might not be useless.. why would he refer you to a dietitian at your first visit? Surely a dietician would only be needed if your son couldn't keep to a diet or the diet didn't appear to be helping.

Can you imagine if every adult that wanted to loose weight was referred to a dietician? It would cost the NHS a fortune

I didnt go in asking to be reffered to a dietition....i asked for advice on starting him on a healthier diet as i was pretty much clueless in what he should/shouldnt be eating. He just basically told me not to give him sweets, which really wasnt helpful at all

Taliahmai

Ive never heard of quinoa? ill look out for it! and i will defiantly start to add more veg and less pasta...he does have a bowl full at the moment, i never weigh it just tip it in till it looks enough lol. Im going to have to utlise my scales more i think

I would never put him on a specific diet as such....i just want to feed him a healthier diet, and control, not omit his carbs. But its the knowing whats healther for him, some of the things i thought were better for him arnt....and the advice ive got on that im extreamly gratful for

[Deleted User]

Taliahmai wrote: »

I didnt go in asking to be reffered to a dietition....i asked for advice on starting him on a healthier diet as i was pretty much clueless in what he should/shouldnt be eating. He just basically told me not to give him sweets, which really wasnt helpful at all

ok.. well that's probably because he's an old doctor, and endemic childhood obesity is a relatively new thing. I'd also argue that it's not a health issue (yet) - it's a lifestyle issue.

lizbob

Taliahmai wrote: »

Ive never heard of quinoa? ill look out for it! and i will defiantly start to add more veg and less pasta...he does have a bowl full at the moment, i never weigh it just tip it in till it looks enough lol. Im going to have to utlise my scales more i think

I would never put him on a specific diet as such....i just want to feed him a healthier diet, and control, not omit his carbs. But its the knowing whats healther for him, some of the things i thought were better for him arnt....and the advice ive got on that im extreamly gratful for

http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/221177_Goodness_Organic_Quinoa___250g.html

you can buy it in the supermarket but this shows you what it is.

i use cups to portion for myself. tend to give myself 1 cup full of cooked carbohydrate for each meal so perhaps use a half cup for him? whenever serving rice, couscous or quinoa i mix in peas, corn or other small veg so that one the plate the portion looks as big as before but actually a third of the weight is veg and then serve an actual portion of veg.

i do agree with what some other have said though, try not to give him "diet" tyoe foods. for example i think you said he has instant hot chocolate made with water presumeably options or similar? these are full of rubbish and the calories your getting are empty. he'd be better off having nesquick which is fortified with vitamins with semi skimmed, you can save cvalories in other areas easily now you're cutting out the pies and picnic eggs and sweets!

finally (sorry mamoth post) if he loves growing things why not do aubergines, courgettes and tomatoes this year? they all grow fairly easily (especially courgettes - you'll be overrun!!) cos then he can learn to make rattatouille. it could be "his dish" that he makes for dinner for the family sometimes with his home grown veg! it's one of the healthiest recipes ever and lets him take total ownership over some of the cooking/food choices. if it works you could start adding more to his repetoire?

hope this helps

Liz x

Taliahmai

It is a lifestyle issue your right, but him been the weight he is is also effecting his health. I honestly wouldnt have a clue who to ask for advice about it other then a dr? Its my own ignorance and lack of knowledge that has made him the weight he is and i know if i dont do anything about it now he is only going to get bigger, I was hoping my dr would help me with this, but he hasnt. I never thoght about it been an age thing on his part. I think the best thing would be to find a dietition/nutrionalist privatly and get advice from them. There is so much conflicting advice out there...its confusing me even more lol