BMI in toddlers - ugh

My 2yo boy is chunky - has been since birth (11 pounder).  At 2yo he is 39 pounds, 35.5" tall = BMI of 22 = obese.  He has been "on his growth curve" the whole time - nothing unexpected.  He has steadily been 99% for weight and 80%ish for height.

I hate that he is labeled Obese already and just turned 2.  I know he is big, I also know that my 3yo daughter eats the same stuff, no juice, no soda, 1% milk and is totally "normal".  Both were breastfed until 13m.

They did thyroid bloodwork on him and we were referred to a pediatric dietician. 

I am annoyed that he is labeled, but I realize that he has the genetic odds stacked against him (both us parents are obese and my husband is a type 2 diabetic).  We will do what we have to in order to give him the best chance at normal - but I will NOT put my 2yo on a diet other than serving healthy whole foods in reasonable portions. 

How do you feel about BMI being used for very young kids?

To be honest I don't think it should be used on anyone.  Body fat would be a better indicator.  My son was at age 14 was considered obese and borderline diabetic and then he finally hit puberty and he has shot up and thinned out and is at a perfect weight.  I think society needs to be careful about body image with our young ones.  If we are feeding them healthy food then let puberty hit and then re-evaluate.  My middle daughter was also chunky until pubert and then it also changed.

I agree.  

And, seriously, this stuff coming from doctors is one of the reasons I had such horrible doctor related anxiety for years.  What was the point of going if the doc was just going to harass me about my weight and ignore anything else?  :/  It started when I was 7 or 8.  

You need a new pediatrician.  If your boy has been on the same growth curve since birth, then he's just a stockier kid.  End of story.  If he's varied or has suddenly spiked in his weight, then that could be cause for concern, but otherwise he's just a big boy.  There's nothing wrong with that.  We come in all shapes and sizes.  As long as you're feeding him a healthy diet, I wouldn't worry about it.  I've never heard of BMI actually being used for toddlers, and what is generally acceptable is staying on the same growth curve not so much the actual percentages.  KWIM?  My kid has been 90%ile for height and 25%ile for weight since birth.  She's just a stringbean.  I didn't do anything to make that happen.  She eats the same diet I do, except she does get muffins and stuff too because sometimes she just won't eat anything.  Sigh.  Do not put your kid on a diet.  Find a new pediatrician if you can.  My best friend went through this same crap until she found a new pedi.  Her pedi actually told her NOT to BF her kid every time he was hungry because he was gaining too much weight.  Absolutely ridiculous.  He's also just a stockier boy.  And cute as a button

maybe find a bareatic pediatrician and find out if he has a weight problem if so seeing a pediatric dietician would be a good idea , having your son learn to eat properly at this age where you control all his food would be easier than when he is older and very over weight , 

ps some very health whole foods can be very fattening  

Get a new ped!! 

I think it can be a useful tool. I hope you are meeting with a pediatric dietitian or nutritionist to help you determine the best foods for your child to eat. You mentioned you and your husband are obese, so hopefully you are all learning new habits and eating healthier now. You need to do everything in your power to help your children learn good eating habits.

I agree.  OP, I know it must be hard and I'm not sure I necessarily think it should be used this early on, but with childhood obesity rates so high, I definitely think we need to be realistic and frank in addressing the problem.  I am not suggesting that your son is going to have a weight problem, but statistically as you say, the odds are stacked against him, unfortunately.  

I was overweight then obese from 3rd grade on.  I thank my lucky stars that my children, so far, are not.  For me, a lot of it was the choices my parents or I made (it was the 80s, what did we know), but I KNOW I would not have struggled as much as I have with weight if I hadn't been obese at a young age.  I see friends of my kids who are overweight and it breaks my heart because I know it won't get any easier for most of them.  I feel very, very strongly that we (generally) need to do a better job addressing the problem of obesity and not dancing around it with children.  It's critical to try to deal with it early.  

The BMI chart isn't very accurate for people of any age. As someone mentioned, body fat per centage is a much better measure. But a BMI of 22 is NOT obese---it's right in the middle of the normal range, 18 to 25. I think your pediatrician is being an alarmist.

The interpretation/scale is very different for children.  For a child that young, 20 is obese.  

I do agree that BF% is a much better measure, but it's not incredibly practical to get an accurate BF measure for every patient.