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?

First link followed: http://www.nhs.uk/ncmp4

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.