Rapid Weight Gain

[kizzy1017]

My daughter is 9 years old and is a whopping 138lbs. She has gained about 10 a year since she was 5. I have taken her to every doctor I can think of, including an endocronologist, and I was told that she has a thrifty gene - meaning her body simply holds on to weight. She is, except in the winter, a very active kid participating in everything from cheerleading to swimming, but not consistently. I've had her thyroid checked and it keeps coming back normal. Most of her weight gain is in her stomach area and I cannot figure out for the life of me what's wrong. She does not overeat, as a matter of fact, sometimes she wakes up "full" and won't eat. I really need some help because I'm at the end of my rope. My husband and I are very active, though, his family has a weight issue. We have a younger daughter who is 7, she's 48" tall and only weighs 70lbs and she eats comparably more than her sister. I don't how else to help her and I'm starting to think that both myself and the doctors are just missing something. Lastly, she does seem to have an anxiety issue and possibly a mood disorder - she can go from manically happy to crying in an instant. Does anyone have an idea about how and why her weight gain is so rapid? I'll try whatever I can.

[bonniecastle]

I can't believe your post!!  I have the EXACT same situation with my daughter...the rapid onset of the weight gain, the amount of weight, the middle area thickness, mood...I've been to the endocrinologist too!!  I just had blood work done and same, all normal results.  There are no weight issues that run in our families  and my daughter is very physically active.  And too, she wakes "full" in the morning and doesn't want to eat sometimes. I feel terrible because she can't eat like the rest of my children. I've got our pediatrician on board because she went from the 5th percentile in weight as a toddler to the 85th by age 6.  my daughter is now 13 and something isn't right.  Let's try to share notes if possible..you can friend me on facebook - bonnie kaval castleberry

[Renee Radenberg]

Her weight is very much above the 95th percentile and her height is just below the 95th percentile for her age. It is recommend increasing children's physical activities (play, dance, sports) to lose weight, and not lower calorie intake due to the need of calories for growth which, from what you stated, she is active in warmer weather. She needs to be active year round as much as possible. Limit time in front of the TV or non-active-video games. There have been studies showing the longer the length of time a child sit in front of the TV, the greater the weight gain. For her age she needs approximately 1800-2000 calories a day to grow. Limit high sugar drinks/snacks, and try replacing with low fat milk/yogurt, fruit, air popped popcorn, or low-fat cheese. If she is hungry between meals, suggest snacking on NO-calorie or very low calories foods such as diet jello, salad with very little dressing, or 1 cup air popped popcorn. Additional suggestions: cook only low fat meats (chicken, fish, loin of pork) or non-meat sources (soy products, nuts), low fat vegetarian combinations (rice & beans, pasta & beans, low fat cheese & pasta), fat free or low fat dairy products (skim milk, 1% milk, low fat cheese, low fat yogurts, low fat soy milk/yogurt), use plant oils, non trans-fat margarines, and eat a lot of fruits, salads, and vegetables. Eat daily high fiber breads and cereals (oatmeal) and limit ‘junk’ foods. Hoped that helped you.