My best friend's son is 8 yrs old and obese

9 Comments

He weighs 99lb and is a normal height for an 8 year old boy. He looks VERY overweight. His parents are in total denial that he has a health problem and every time I try to get him active he gets winded. He's obsessed with always getting food. Sometimes I take him out places alone and people give him looks. His mom gets mad if I try to discuss health (she is also obese and I'm really in shape). I haven't directly said anything about the boys weight to her yet out of fear of how she'll react. What should I do?

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  • bulbasaur64
    6 years ago | pl

    Maybe you could talk to his mom but frame it in a way that doesn't centre on his weight -- like mention how he seems interested in skateboarding, and how it would be fun for him to do things like that, how maybe he would enjoy playing sports with other kids or doing active things with you, etc.. Then you are encouraging his interests in a way that doesn't sound like it is blaming her.

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  • Yennifer_Of_Vengerburg
    6 years ago | pl

    Is there anyway you can get him into a sport? Like when your out alone try and make it appealing to him maybe say get some muscles and get strong the girls will like that make some new friends kids love a some friends, and I imagine if you do this in a sports store and get him to start picking out his cleats and bat whatever the sport is gear that gives you the green light go to take him home and stay whatever his name is is going to play..... His already got all the stuff and with your permission I'm gonna sign him up, this is gonna be so fun we can go out and watch him play and have a picnic <---- picnic is cruical for wording fats love a picnic. If you think buying him the shit without permission is gonna be bust let him look around at some stuff to get him interesed and take him back with mum so she feels part of it obviously your going to cover the costs so if she objects because money is an object tell her your paying for the gear we can all go shopping together to pick out some stuff that he likes

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  • EccentricWeird
    6 years ago | pl

    I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. WHY DO YOU NOT SIMPLY CONSUME THE JUVENILE HUMAN FOR THE NUTRIENTS AND ENERGY NEEDED TO PRODUCE YOUR OWN?

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  • Lies
    6 years ago | pl

    When the parents are obese they repeat the same bad patterns with their kid but I don't know how to offer advice without offending them.

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  • RoseIsabella
    6 years ago | pl

    What does his mom say when she gets mad?

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      6 years ago | pl

      Sometimes she'll make remarks to me about how she's never "above" eating anything (as a comparison to me since I only eat healthier foods, to imply I'm just pretentious or finicky). Nutrition is actually a passion of mine and if I bring it up casually she will roll her eyes and change the subject. She makes fun of some of the things I eat as being rabbit food. She keeps a lot of bad food around the house and says things to me like "but I know I know you're not allowed to eat this" she is just really bitter about my dietary habits also I know she'll see me making a comment about her son as an attack. She doesn't realize everything I believe comes from a health perspective!

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  • Ratmanforelife
    6 years ago | pl

    Why not mine your own business?

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      6 years ago | pl

      I understand that point of view entirely because I believe parents have the right to raise their children as they see fit of course...but this in my opinion is a form of child abuse. The little boy knows he is fat and it makes him sad and down on himself. I only know his weight because he told me about being embarassed by it. He wants to do things like skateboard but isn't able to be athletic. He's only 8 years old, this is not his fault that he's this way and I feel like his parents have given him no choice but to be obese which he will have a really difficult time ever overcoming.

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