- Knowledgebase: Nutrition, Exercise, and Obesity
- Questions about child nutrition, exercise, and obesity/weight loss.
- 5. My two and a half year old daughter is thin - Top
- Q: My two and a half year old daughter is thin and my mother-in-law is very concerned; how can I know if I should be worried?
A: Children should have a weight consistant with their height and this is determined by placing their height and weight on graphs for age and comparing them to standardized percentiles. There are 3 types of body build which are generally inherited; stocky build with increased weight for height; middle build with weight proportionate to height, and thin build with decreased weight for height. Body type can be determined by parents build and the trend of the child's height/weight ratio.
The best thing for you to do is have your child's measurements put on a growth chart by your physician and discuss the appropriateness of her weight with your doctor. Our image of children in the country tends toward overweight. We have this image that a well-fed child is a healthy child. Long term well-being in reference to heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes is better with an appropriate or thin build.
- Updated: March 25, 2001
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