If your child were overweight

Say your six year old weighed at least fifteen pounds more than his pediatrician says he should, how diligent would you be in taking steps to lose him the weight? Or would you at all?

I wouldn't be that diligent, I would just scratch his junk food off the shopping list and limit his TV time. Watch the weight fall off.

I think I'd want him/her to lose the weight, but I'd do it in a very subtle way - buy more healthy foods and have more physical "Mom time" with him/her, like going for walks or playing outside. At six years-old, the child wouldn't realize my intention - which is good, because I wouldn't want to enforce that idea that chubbiness was wrong.

I would try small things like limiting sweets and trying to get him/her to do a bit more exercising instead of sitting in front of the TV.

I would not change diet, because my son has always had a good diet to begin with. So, I guess if he packed on lbs. it would be because he is being too inactive, so he would start going to the Y more nights per week for longer each session.

I would limit his helpings. A friend of mine has a four year old that is on the chubbier side and I notice that after the child eats, he comes back for seconds and thirds. That I would cut out.

I'd do what I could to keep him active, as while I'd allow junkfood, it would be a treat, not a regular thing, so overeating wouldn't likely be the cause in my house.

ITA with cateyes that portion control is the key. For a 6 year old to be overweight, given how active most six year olds are, then there really is something not quite right. I'd limit down time - time in front of the TV or a gaming system or the computer - and increase physical activity.

I can't help but think most 6 year olds who're overweight probably have parents who need to drop a few too. They probably took their overeating cues from them.