Can a toddler overeat?

amother

Sun, Jul 25 2010, 4:39 pm

My son is two, and a HUGE eater. Always has been. I feed him pretty healthy - whole grains, fruits and vegetables, dairy foods, chicken and ground beef - and he eats pretty much everything that I give him, and plenty of it. My doctor recently said that I should make sure not to overfeed him (because he gained a lot since his last checkup), but not to go overboard - just to make sure to distract him when we think he's done instead of letting him sit around and eat and eat and eat.

But he just didn't get it! He was like, "After half a slice of pizza and a handful or two of fruit, he should be done. So just try distracting him with something and see if that gets his mind off eating - that way he won't just keep on eating 'because it's there.'"

Problem is, that's crazy! I tried explaining to him that my son normally eats three or four slices of pizza, and could then easily finish off four or five oranges (or the equivalent of anything else) if I let him. The doctor just didn't seem to "get" it. He just kept on saying "Okay, so let him eat ONE slice and then..."

I was just reading a Dr. Sears book, and he says that kids cannot overeat if you give them healthy food. Their bodies just "know" how much they're supposed to eat. Which is nice, if it's true.

Has anyone had experience with an eater like this? Did you have problems with his weight later? Or was he fine?

ora_43

Sun, Jul 25 2010, 4:53 pm

My oldest was and still is like that (it goes up and down - sometimes she's a big eater, sometimes she's a "holy cow where is all the food going shock

" eater. depends on the month). And I also heard "just distract her." But no, she really was just hungry.

I still try to offer her an activity if says she's hungry when it's not mealtime, but if she turns down reading or painting or a trip to the park or whatever else to eat, I'll give her food.

Her weight is a bit high, but her size is fine. She's just surprisingly dense if you go to pick her up, but looks normal and fits the same clothes as her friends. She's also unusually strong for her size.

I'm not worried because my sister was the same way, and went on to be big and strong and not overweight at all. I also had a period as a kid where I ate enough for two people; I ended up growing much taller that year and I think ended up thinner than I started.

So my advice is - if he wants to eat, or if he's eating a lot, make sure there's a fun alternative to eating so that you know he's eating out of hunger. But other than that, don't worry about it unless he gets overweight. (btw are you in Israel? Only at tipat chalav have I heard criticism of a weight that's well within the normal range just because "it's a lot higher than last time" and getting bigger could, maybe, possibly eventually lead to getting too big).

Emee

Sun, Jul 25 2010, 7:08 pm

I have one child that was a real overeater. She would eat until she threw up on vegetables and anything else. She has gotten better. But I work on it tonnes and it is a problem that I think she will have for life! you can pm me for more info if you want.

zigi

Sun, Jul 25 2010, 7:42 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrVJeHmHVEE

here is a link to what happens if a child doesn't have the inner fullness indicator. if like ora says that he eats sometimes and then doesn't eat so much, he is regulating himself. if he eats all the time and always feels hungry. maybe the doctor is right that he should eat the normal amount for a toddler and then do something else.

what your doctor said a slice of pizza and a half a fruit is what the average 2 year old eats. are the meals spaced apart and does he have time to run around in between them?

amother

Wed, Jul 28 2010, 11:07 am

zigi wrote:

He doesn't eat constantly, although maybe he would snack all day if I let him, I don't know. He eats a LOT at meals. They're spaced apart, and he definitely is very active between them. But even on days when he's not so active (e.g., a very hot day when we just stay and play at home), he still eats a lot.

I tried distracting him one night and not letting him eat so much, and it did work...until the next morning when he got out of his crib and said "I HUNGRY, Mommy!" and gobbled down handful after handful of Cheerios until he finally seemed content. I honestly think he's just hungry.

sky

Wed, Jul 28 2010, 12:55 pm

When both my boys were 2 they were huge eaters. It was funny to watch them go. At a shabbos meal they would eat all the courses as the adults with large portions (although I don't remember any of them eating 4 slices of pizza)

Now they are 4 and 2.5 and they have majorly slowed down. My 2.5 year old will still put away 4 slices of grilled cheese, and he never brings back leftovers from his lunch. And my 4 year old ds still eats 1 1/2 - 2 sandwiches for lunch. But their eating habits have slowed down a lot. I have seen that with a lot of other children as well, that 2 just seems to be the hight of eating.

I give them lots and lots of healthy food and very balanced suppers. snack after camp is cut up fruit and ices. keeping snack bags, cookies, cakes, candy to the minimum. So if they are filling up it should at least be on beneficial food (I see you do the same). I also never use food as a reward for anything (although it sometimes seems tempting)

My boys have always been in the 95th percentile for weight and height and my dr has not been concerned they are pretty propotianal.

who initiates the many meals a day. Can you have 3 planned out meals with 2 snacks imbetween, this way you don't keep on going back to meals.

Also, is he drinking enough. It could be that he is confusing hunger with thirsty.

MrsDash

Wed, Jul 28 2010, 1:35 pm

My daughter can eat like there's no tomorrow. She's hasn't gained too much weight from one year to the next, but she has gotten much taller, and most of everything she eats is very healthy. Her diet consists of breakfast, which is a bowl of fiber one with cheerios, and lunch, which is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with steamed vegetables, and for dinner she has some beans or chicken with some brown rice and more steamed vegetables. Snacks usually consist of fruit, whole wheat crackers with chumus, yogurt, cheese, vegetables, apple sauce, and one lolly pop a day, with a couple other various healthy things as well. As for her fluids, she usually has water or watered down juice, but no more than 4-6 ounces of juice in total, and she has a vitamin, which her pediatrician gave her.

A toddler can very easily overeat if he is consuming more calories than he needs. A single slice of pizza holds a lot of calories because of the amount of bread and cheese involved. Juice can also add a lot of calories if not monitored. Although, are you or your husband very tall, muscular, or built bigger? It could be genetics. Is your child getting in sufficient amount of exercise as well? He may also be going through a growth sport, which can make the child hungry at all times.

If you're not comfortable with what your pediatrician told you, get a second opinion to make sure, and to give you peace of mind.