FACT sheet 1: a healthy perspective on body weight and shape
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How to promote a healthy body, rather than an ”ideal” body
This fact sheet aims to help you promote the importance of an active and healthy body, rather than a thin or lean body, and to help you understand the relationship between weight and health.
This fact sheet aims to help you promote the importance of an active and healthy body, rather than a thin or lean body, and to help you understand the relationship between weight and health.
This fact sheet is available as a printable document in colour or black and white, or you can read below for more details.
As your child grows and develops, it is important that they maintain a weight that enables them to optimise physical and emotional health and wellbeing. What that weight is can vary considerably among same aged children, and is influenced by height and body shape. A healthy weight for each child is more complex than “energy in” (from food) and “energy out” (from daily activity), as genetics also play an important role.
From the moment children are born, we talk about how much they weigh and their appearance, and this continues throughout regular health checks in the early years. Body mass index (BMI) is most commonly used to assess whether a person is underweight, a normal weight, or overweight for their age and height. You may have seen your child’s measures on a BMI-for-age chart at your local GP or Maternal and Child Health Centre. BMI-for-age charts recognise that children’s bodies are still growing and developing, but they offer us only one part of the picture and are not necessarily a good reflection of overall health. Parents often report feeling anxious about their child’s weight, especially if they are on the upper or lower percentiles, or off the scale altogether. There may be fears around not feeding their child enough, or that there will be a life-long battle with weight that started in infancy, underscored by a perception that a child’s weight is a reflection of their parenting.
In fact, there are many strong and influential messages that can lead people to believe that a healthy body comes in a certain size and shape. This is problematic because (1) people who do not fit this shape may be more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours to try to fit the “ideal” shape, creating a battle with food, weight, and body image; and (2) people who do fit this “ideal” shape may assume they are healthy simply because of their body size rather than due to healthy eating and physical activity.
“A healthy body” is one that, whatever shape, size, or weight, is in a state of wellbeing, which allows a person to achieve their goals and participate in life. A healthy body is therefore not merely the absence of illness or injury. Healthy bodies can come in a variety of weights, shapes and sizes, and this is true for both children and adults.
In the same way that people have different hair and eye colours, a person’s body shape and size is influenced by their genes. Your genes will determine what weight and shape is healthy for you. For some people, their most healthy weight will be when they are at a bigger size than the average person. This means that trying to reduce their size or weight will actually be difficult and unhealthy for them. For others, their most healthy weight will be when they are at a medium, or smaller size, and trying to be larger could be difficult and unhealthy. It is normal for people to be quite different from one another and this is something to celebrate rather than try to change.
From the moment children are born, we talk about how much they weigh and their appearance, and this continues throughout regular health checks in the early years. Body mass index (BMI) is most commonly used to assess whether a person is underweight, a normal weight, or overweight for their age and height. You may have seen your child’s measures on a BMI-for-age chart at your local GP or Maternal and Child Health Centre. BMI-for-age charts recognise that children’s bodies are still growing and developing, but they offer us only one part of the picture and are not necessarily a good reflection of overall health. Parents often report feeling anxious about their child’s weight, especially if they are on the upper or lower percentiles, or off the scale altogether. There may be fears around not feeding their child enough, or that there will be a life-long battle with weight that started in infancy, underscored by a perception that a child’s weight is a reflection of their parenting.
In fact, there are many strong and influential messages that can lead people to believe that a healthy body comes in a certain size and shape. This is problematic because (1) people who do not fit this shape may be more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours to try to fit the “ideal” shape, creating a battle with food, weight, and body image; and (2) people who do fit this “ideal” shape may assume they are healthy simply because of their body size rather than due to healthy eating and physical activity.
“A healthy body” is one that, whatever shape, size, or weight, is in a state of wellbeing, which allows a person to achieve their goals and participate in life. A healthy body is therefore not merely the absence of illness or injury. Healthy bodies can come in a variety of weights, shapes and sizes, and this is true for both children and adults.
In the same way that people have different hair and eye colours, a person’s body shape and size is influenced by their genes. Your genes will determine what weight and shape is healthy for you. For some people, their most healthy weight will be when they are at a bigger size than the average person. This means that trying to reduce their size or weight will actually be difficult and unhealthy for them. For others, their most healthy weight will be when they are at a medium, or smaller size, and trying to be larger could be difficult and unhealthy. It is normal for people to be quite different from one another and this is something to celebrate rather than try to change.
A Healthy Body for your Child
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A healthy body is important for everyone, but especially for children who need energy for growing and everyday activity. Parents are in a great position to help their child understand that “health” is different to body shape and size. To develop your child’s healthy body, you can encourage healthy eating and exercise patterns, and support your child to accept their natural body, whatever shape or size it may be.
Healthy eating
The food a person eats also plays a role in the health of their body. Eating a variety of foods with different nutrients gives the body the ingredients it needs for daily activities. Unfortunately, many messages in our society focus on how food affects our body shape rather than our health. So when talking to your children you could focus on how food benefits their body on the inside. You could use examples such as “food is for your brain (to think and concentrate), food is for your bones (for your body to stay strong), and food helps you stay well (to develop a strong immune system)”. Get your child off to a great start by providing nutritious meals as well as exposure to foods for pleasure, fun, and celebration.
If children are provided with a balanced variety of foods and encouraged to eat according to their natural appetite, their body will naturally develop according to their most healthy weight, size, and shape.
Physical Activity
Moving the body comes naturally to children and is very enjoyable for them. Children can really benefit from general activity, such as playing at the park, climbing, and helping in the garden. You can encourage your child to be proud of their body by talking to them about the amazing things it can do (see Activity 5). Again, if children are encouraged to engage in regular, enjoyable physical activity, suited to their age and development, their body will naturally develop according to their most healthy weight, size, and shape.
Accepting a natural body shape and size
Parents are in a great position to help their child withstand pressure from peers, adults, or society. Talking to your child about the importance of having a healthy body, and making it clear this does not mean having a particular weight, size, or shape, can give your child a strong foundation for positive feelings about their body.
You might talk about how we all have our own unique and special genetic “blueprint” that we should not try to change. Or talk about how food and activity can help us to stay as healthy as possible. Most importantly, being a good role model by working towards your own healthy body, and accepting your own natural weight, size and shape, is a powerful way to encourage your child to be healthy and body confident too.
Healthy eating
The food a person eats also plays a role in the health of their body. Eating a variety of foods with different nutrients gives the body the ingredients it needs for daily activities. Unfortunately, many messages in our society focus on how food affects our body shape rather than our health. So when talking to your children you could focus on how food benefits their body on the inside. You could use examples such as “food is for your brain (to think and concentrate), food is for your bones (for your body to stay strong), and food helps you stay well (to develop a strong immune system)”. Get your child off to a great start by providing nutritious meals as well as exposure to foods for pleasure, fun, and celebration.
If children are provided with a balanced variety of foods and encouraged to eat according to their natural appetite, their body will naturally develop according to their most healthy weight, size, and shape.
Physical Activity
Moving the body comes naturally to children and is very enjoyable for them. Children can really benefit from general activity, such as playing at the park, climbing, and helping in the garden. You can encourage your child to be proud of their body by talking to them about the amazing things it can do (see Activity 5). Again, if children are encouraged to engage in regular, enjoyable physical activity, suited to their age and development, their body will naturally develop according to their most healthy weight, size, and shape.
Accepting a natural body shape and size
Parents are in a great position to help their child withstand pressure from peers, adults, or society. Talking to your child about the importance of having a healthy body, and making it clear this does not mean having a particular weight, size, or shape, can give your child a strong foundation for positive feelings about their body.
You might talk about how we all have our own unique and special genetic “blueprint” that we should not try to change. Or talk about how food and activity can help us to stay as healthy as possible. Most importantly, being a good role model by working towards your own healthy body, and accepting your own natural weight, size and shape, is a powerful way to encourage your child to be healthy and body confident too.
What can I do if I am concerned about my child’s weight?
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This is a valid concern for parents. However, encouraging your child to be a certain weight, size or shape, is not the best way to ensure they have a healthy body.
Unfortunately some people are genetically more prone to illnesses that we attribute to weight (e.g., raised cholesterol and blood pressure). However, it is more common for people to have these illnesses due to lifestyle factors (e.g., increased food intake and poor exercise) that cause them to be over their most healthy weight. You can help your child reduce their health risks, irrespective of their weight, by ensuring as much as possible, that they have access to a variety of nutritious foods, and opportunities and encouragement to participate in general physical activity.
If you feel that your child is not eating an appropriate balance of foods and that this could be affecting their weight, health, or the way they feel about themselves, then making changes that include and benefit the whole family, without focussing on weight or appearance, may help. For example, you could schedule family fun time each day that includes physical activity, or screens turned off. Or you could try new and different nutritious foods together at a family meal time. It’s important to do this as a family because one child is likely to find it difficult to eat or exercise differently from everyone else. It is very important that you do not encourage your child to go on a diet (and set a good example by not dieting yourself) as this can lead to an unhealthy body.
If you are concerned about whether or not your child is at their most healthy weight, please visit the parental concerns page. Above all, providing a consistent message about the importance of a healthy body, rather than an “ideal” body, is important.
One of the main reasons Confident Body Confident Child was developed for parents was to address the stigma around people who are not the “ideal” size. It is our hope that if children are raised in a positive environment in which they learn to accept themselves, as well as other people, for who they are, and not what they look like, then bullying and weight stigma would be reduced in our community. And then everybody can be healthy and happy.
Unfortunately some people are genetically more prone to illnesses that we attribute to weight (e.g., raised cholesterol and blood pressure). However, it is more common for people to have these illnesses due to lifestyle factors (e.g., increased food intake and poor exercise) that cause them to be over their most healthy weight. You can help your child reduce their health risks, irrespective of their weight, by ensuring as much as possible, that they have access to a variety of nutritious foods, and opportunities and encouragement to participate in general physical activity.
If you feel that your child is not eating an appropriate balance of foods and that this could be affecting their weight, health, or the way they feel about themselves, then making changes that include and benefit the whole family, without focussing on weight or appearance, may help. For example, you could schedule family fun time each day that includes physical activity, or screens turned off. Or you could try new and different nutritious foods together at a family meal time. It’s important to do this as a family because one child is likely to find it difficult to eat or exercise differently from everyone else. It is very important that you do not encourage your child to go on a diet (and set a good example by not dieting yourself) as this can lead to an unhealthy body.
If you are concerned about whether or not your child is at their most healthy weight, please visit the parental concerns page. Above all, providing a consistent message about the importance of a healthy body, rather than an “ideal” body, is important.
One of the main reasons Confident Body Confident Child was developed for parents was to address the stigma around people who are not the “ideal” size. It is our hope that if children are raised in a positive environment in which they learn to accept themselves, as well as other people, for who they are, and not what they look like, then bullying and weight stigma would be reduced in our community. And then everybody can be healthy and happy.
