Buddha Belly & Large Appetite

As long as you are giving her healthy food (esp. fruits and veggies), let her eat when she is hungry. Kids get hungry often--and they are growing, so they need the energy. As long as she eats healthy and stays active, she's not going to gain too much weight. Big bellies are normal for kids this age. A good way to tell if she is gaining too much weight is to see if the rest of her body is also big. AT 75th percentile, she's just fine.

You are right to be concerned. I don't know what the answer is, but something isn't right, and you need to see another pediatrician.

B.

Hi,
I think I would talk with my pediatrician and see what he/she says about it. Is he/she (ped.) concerned about her weight?

J.

It's important not to make an issue out of food when a child is young or it will always be an issue for them. If she says she's hungry let her eat but only let her snack on healthy food like fruits and veggies. No one has ever gotten fat from overeating fruit and veggies. As far as the buddha belly, if that is the only place she seems fat then you really don't have a problem. this is what you should watch for, her putting on fat all over. Most children have a buddha belly because they have adult size livers. Their tummies need a lot of room to hold all their organs until they grow into them. My son is now 3 and he always ate really well, was a little chubby and had a belly. He's very active and he didn't really start to slim down until about 2-2 1/2 years old. He slimmed some when he began walking but his belly didn't really start to slim until he had more heigth on him. He also occasionally gagged on food and kept eating. For him it was simply that he was in a hurry and tried to eat to fast, the gagging had nothing to do with hunger. Also remember if she's snacking on fruit and veggies their not as filling as other foods, your body processes them really fast, even faster if she's very active. munching on whole foods all day is probably the healthiest way to eat.

I'm not sure what your background is, but most cultures pride themselves on on "healthy" children. My baby is the same way. She's the youngest yet bigger than her older brother and a couple pounds under her 4 year old sister. My biggest problem is she is too heavy for me to carry!

It is frustrating sometimes, because if I don't feed her as she demands she throws a fit. She will finish off everyone elses leftovers! She's never "not" hungry! They grow out of it. Just make sure that you feed her nutritious snacks. As long as she is eating healthy you won't have to worry about childhood obesity. I don't give mine soda (hardly ever) and the sweetest thing they get are fruit snacks.

The flip side is that when they grow out of it they become picky like my son did. He lost too much weight and now he doesn't eat anything! I'll take the chunky baby anyday!

Hi J., I hear your concern. I have a 3 year old girl that too, loves food!! I had the same concern. I spoke to her Dr. in one of her check ups and he too, said she was a tall girl but, there were some things that I could change in her diet to help her not gain so much weight. We changed her milk to 2% (she was drinking whole), changed white bread to wheat (tortillas also) and more fruits and veggies for snacks. Let me add she LOVES bread! We also stopped giving her everything she asks for. We always try to offer a healthier snack or meal. We also do more outdoor activities instead of watching TV. Just try to make little changes in her diet and never tell her no because she wil get fat or big! Just say positive things to her and she will grow up with healthier habits and that is all we as mothers want for our children and ofcoarse like everything we have to start when they are young. Hope this works for you and family. C.

My in-laws were so cocerned with this same issue about my 16month old boy. He weighed 30 lbs at 6 months....I finally got so tired of addressing the issue with them that I told them I would call the doctor and call them back with his respnse. Children do not lose their baby fat until 2-3 yrs of age and or is a BMI recognized until they are 4 yrs of age. At that point, if there is still a concern, it can be addressed but not until then because there is no true indicator. Just as many thin babies become chubby later in life as chubby babies become thin. Also, you must remember that their cellular development is at an exponential growth weight and to limit fat in any way until they are over two can compromise their brain develpment. thats why they only suggest whole milk.....I know what you are feeling. My son is in a 3T and is huge. People always comment but I am resolved to laugh at everyone when he is 5 and so skinny that they worry. He also is as tall as he is big and a gap could suggest a problem but not until 3-4 yrs of age....hope this helped.

I think your husband is on the right track. Our little girl (of twins) is much the same. She has started to thin down now she is past two, but her diet is similar to what you describe - as is our son but he has never made it past the 50th percentile and then only fleetingly before dropping away again! I think as she gets towards three we are moving towards less grazing and more distinct mealtimes, and that might be contributing to her 'slimmer' appearance, but the food remains much the same. My husband is more concerned than either myself or the docs, so I do understand what you are saying, but want to reassure you that at this age, you really don't need to worry unless of course she suddenly leaps up to the 100th percentile, or drops below the 50th.(-: Hovering around where she is will be the normal path. If the doc isn't worried, you can take that as a cue to relax! Enjoy her healthy habits and her pleasure in food, don't let it become an issue because of your concerns, you can hold them quietly in the background and make sure the doc knows you are worried about this so they take extra note when she attends as well. Good Luck!

All babies at this age should have a big belly and butt that both stick out. I have an almost 2 yr old that blows me away with how much she will eat. If she isn't eating a meal, she is almost always snacking on something. Try to be as active as your baby and see how hungry you get. You will give the baby food issues if you have them. If what she is asking to eat is healthy for her and your pediatrician says she's normal, than go with it.

Hi J. -
My daughter is 15 months and she has always been a chunky baby. She was breast fed until age 7 1/2 months, and has been walking since about 13 months. Still, she hasn't slimmed up much and she is way beyond the charts on her weight. She weighed almost 28 lbs. at her last doctor visit for an ear infection. But, she doesn't eat a whole lot, and she of course has her preferences. She definitely has a buddha belly, just like her dad ;-) If the doctor is not concerned, I wouldn't worry too much about it. But i would definitely make sure that she is on a feeding schedule and not allowed to have what she wants when she wants it. My daughter did go through a phase not too long ago where she would eat and eat, and now she's not doing it so much. I think that growth spurts cause them to eat a lot and then they are not so interested, they'd rather play.

My five year old is skinny as can be...she just still has a buddah belly! It is kind of frustrating trying to buy her dresses that don't hug her tummy...that said...

Unless there is a hormone problem, which you will see because your daughter will quicky become obese, children eat when they are growing. You are lucky at this point, there will come a time between 3-5 when she will eat barely a thing. Do not worry about the buddah belly...enjoy the fact that she is healthy and nurished. You will give her a food "complex" if you deny her food or if YOU obsess about it. The real eating problems develop when parents try to make kids eat "everything on their plates" and force them to become overeaters and ingnore their body's natural signals for hunger/satisfaction.

While she is little, she should be snacking between meals too and eating snacks or meals about every two hours. They key to what you have said, is that she is eating good foods. Obesity doesn't come from an overindulgence of green beans! Also buddah bellies don't equal obesity.

As long as she's not grossly overweight and she's eating good food, then I wouldn't worry about it. But, I would try and put her on a schedule. If this is a new thing, then she may be going through a growth spurt and really needs the calories. I wouldn't let her eat all day long anytime she pleases. She might just be bored or especially thirsty. Some people think they are hungry when they are really thirsty. Always make sure she's getting enough to drink. Always make sure she sits at a table to eat. Don't let her walk around with food. Those 2 things should ease the problem alone. But, you can put her on a schedule of snack times. She can have her water or her juice, but snack time is in 20 minutes, etc. And maybe set a timer so she knows you won't forget. My kids will eat all day long every 10 minutes if I let them. They are not really hungry most of the time. But, do all this calmly and let her eat as much as she think she needs as long as she drank something first and is sitting at the table. If you scold her for eating too much, you could cause an eating problem down the line.

S.

Hello!
The best thing you can do as parents is both of you need to be on the same page with this...figure out a plan and stick to it with the both of you creating a united front...having said that, I have a daughter who use to be the same way (she's 6 now) and I just put her on a schedule... breakfast, lunch and dinner with a special treat every now and again just because...didn't make a big deal about it and gave her healthy choices instead of junk food. I also included her in fun activities, kid yoga, dancing, playing outside and swimming, riding bike...whatever it is that she and you enjoy doing together. If you model positive behavior surrounding food and moving, then she will learn the positive way. I hope this helps, Peg

Please read a good toddler book (it will hopefully give you some peace of mind). Toddlers that age have bellies. It is completely normal. If you have spoken with your Pediatrician about it I can't believe they didn't tell you that. If they did tell you that and you still have doubts request some reference books (What to Expect, The First Years. Touch Point. There are several really good books out there).

This day and age weight is such a concern in this country. However if she is in the 75% and not 95% I would not worry. Especially since you are feeding her and she is eating good food. You are already focusing on the healthy life style that will help her develope a healthy life style (one of the best things we can do for our kids). I read a very interesting article last year (that I tried to find without success) that talked about as parents we can introduce our children to unhealthy eating habbits by stressing and worrying about this weight. It girls (I have a son) they have seen it happen as young as 5 and 6 years old.

Good luck, and please don't let media images of what a woman and young girls are suppose to look like cause you undo worry! She's only 2 and you are doing a GREAT job already teaching her to eat healthy! THat Buddha bell will be gone soon and you will miss your little chubby baby!

I had a very close friend a few years back who had a daughter with exactly the same issue. She was eventually diagnosed with a physical sensitivity issue...she literally had no idea when she was full. She was constantly eating more than her mom or her dad and her mom found herself hiding food from a 2 year old. She loved fruits and veggies too and would eat tons of broccoli. I wish i could remember the name of what it was...something about impaired satiety mechanism or something. Maybe someone else on here knows. In any case, I would check with your doctor on that.
I hope you find your answers.

I'm not sure what you mean by "Buddah belly". All children at that age have a rounded belly that sticks out because their rib cage/body is too small for all their organs to fit the way an older child and an adult's do. As children grow the belly will begin to look more "normal". That being said there are conditions that could cause an abnormally large belly. Celiac disease where a person is intolerant to gluten causes malabsorbtion within the bowel and consequently malnutrition, but this disease is accompanied by gas/bloating and diarreah. So unless she is experiencing these other symptoms I wouldn't worry. If your child appears healthy I would continue doing what your doing, but maybe increase the number of complex carbohydrates (eggs, veggies, tuna fish, meat, whole grain) and decrease the number of simple carbohydrates or processed foods which are easily used and sometimes create cravings for more. The complex carbohydrates take longer for the body to digest so you feel full longer and the body's blood sugar stays at a more even level. Simple carbohydrates are easily digested and will give your blood stream a sugar spike and then drop off; that's why after you eat fast food you are hungry again less than an hour later :) I would also encourage playing games or doing activities that she enjoys that distract her from food so she's not eating because she's bored. I hope this helps.

I heard one doctor say that they all get buddha bellies because their insides sometimes grow faster than their bodies do... and it is a standard phase that they do get a buddha belly.

But besides that, I would say, just feed her healthy food as much as she wants. She needs A LOT of calories to support her growth, development and activity level at this age. If you deprive her from food now, you will create more issues with self-regulation on food later.

Also, if it helps.... at 17 months old my daughter (consistently 98th percentile on height, 50th on weight) ate more than I did at some meals and was constantly eating. I remember a particular meal where she ate an entire sweet potato, half a box of blueberries, a stick of cheese and an adult portion of turkey in one sitting. :)

Hi J.,
My exbrother-in-law was always hungry as a child. The family stories are that he would eat and eat and eat. After a long time he would then begin crying because his tummy hurt so bad. Later, as an overweight adult, they found out the flap that allows the food into the tummy was not working properly. It would take a long time before the food was released into his stomach.

In my own children's case, I could always tell when they were entering a growing phase. They would eat any and everything. After the spurt, their eating would be almost non existent for a while.

These may not apply, but they are experiences I know of.
P.

My son seems to eat CONSTANTLY! He's now 18 months old and is the size of a 3 year old. I don't worry about it because the doctor has never shown any concern. Even when he was first born he wanted to eat every hour. I do believe that was at least partly due to the feeding schedule in the hospital. He was a big baby (10 lbs 3 oz.) and they were concerned with his blood sugar level. So they were constantly having me feed him. He does have a bit of a belly now but it's cute.

I wouldn't be too concerned. However, I believe in moderation and I don't let my children graze all day or have second helpings. My kids eat 3 meals a day and one snack in the afternoon (though sometimes we skip snack). If they eat their food and want more, then I let them have a little dessert. My 3 year-old is super skinny (but extremely active) and my 16 mo. old is on the tubby side (though he too is very active). I don't want them to associate food with comfort like I do, so I try to limit the amount of snacks they have. I want them to recognize their body's signals and not to get stuffed. I also try to lean to the healthier side of food, but don't have anything off limits. They don't get candy very often though. I still dilute their juice too. My 3 year-old isn't a plain water drinker, so by diluting her juice she gets more. Neither of them notices. Good luck.

What my doctor told me is that toddlers have toddler bellies. My daughter has been walking since she was 11 months. The belly is a characteristic of toddlers. It helps them to balance when they are walking/running. The doc told me it should gradually decrease, but not to expect that until she is around 2. Lots of people joke about it to me as well. But just so you know, it doesn't matter whether she eats a lot or not, the belly is still going to be there. My daughter is a very picky and light eater and she still has a big ole "juice" belly. that is what my in-law call it. They say its from all the liquids that she drinks. If you ask me though, they don't have medical degrees. I am sticking with what my pediatrician has told me. I hope this helps. I think of it as being absolutely adorable!! :)

My son still has a beautiful round tummy and chubby cheeks and he is 28 months old. He has thined out over the past few months. A few snacks that I found to make him want to eat less are: whole apples, dried pineapple (from the bulk section at Whole Foods), Z-bars from Cliff, whole strawberries, and velvetta cheese slices/string cheese. My son is now at a stage that he only eats a small snack and often skips lunch (vast difference from before). I think when the growing slows down... they don't want as much to eat. My son is now in the 50% for weight.

I have a 19 year old son, 6 ft. 4 in, and 17 year old daughter, 5 ft. 8 in. and they have been through many phases. The pediatrician always said that children will go through periods of "bingeing" when they are about to have a growth spurt. My son was alway skinny until around the 4th & 5th grade. He had a large tummy and fat face. We were very concerned, however, my Mother experienced this with my brother and said my son was about to grow and his body was getting prepared. Well...he grew 12 inches in height in one year! He was so skinny through his teens. Our daughter was a little chunky around the age of your daughter and she grew very fast as well. I wouldn't worry too much at this age. At least you are feeding her healthy foods. Encourage her to play outside and be active appropriate to her age and ability.

My son went through the same thing. He is now 20 months old and finally losing his belly. I was always so worried that he would be overweight because he ate all the time. Then he hit 19 months old and started getting taller and thinning out. So, don't worry so much, what everyone says is true. She will thinn down as soon ans she starts growing taller and becoming even more active.

I would be sure to keep her on healthy foods. If you keep her eating 3 healthy meals and 3 healthy snacks with lots of outside excercise, she should not be overweight. I have a 1 yr old and a 2 yr old that literally eat more than me. BUT they will fight you for spinach and turnip greens. They eat very healthy, never get sugar, don't like it. They are both in the 10-20 percentile for their weight and height. It amazes me b/c they eat so stinking much. Dr. says it is b/c of WHAT they eat not how much. hth

My son is/was the same way. He is now about 2 and 1/2 and still can eat more than me some days. He has always been off the charts for weight and height. We asked our pedi about it and was told not to worry. She said in the next year or two we will be coming in complaining that he won't eat. I will say there are some days now that he has slowed done, but that is the minority. Any way I wouldn't worry too much as long as your pedi is not worried. Also we try to limit our son on how many helpings at meals and only 2 snacks (morning and afternoon).

It's completely normal for a 17 month old to have that belly. My daughter is just now starting to lose it and she just turned 2 in December. They really do change from that baby belly to a little kid around 2 years old, so I wouldn't worry about it. My daughter was in the 5th-10th percentile for weight and height and still had a belly, so it isn't the food! I would make sure that you are giving her healthy snacks and try to get her interested in playing with something or go outside for awhile to keep her active. My daughter has a very healthy appetite too, but sometimes she will snack so much (even if it's healthy stuff) that she won't eat good at mealtime, so just keep an eye on that and try to tell her that snack time will be in X minutes and keep her distracted in the meantime so that she isn't eating all day long.

i can absolutely relate! i have a buddha belly daughter myself. she was literally off the charts weight wise until she hit 2. she still has the belly but she doesn't look out of proportion to other kids her age. she's just solid.
i too worry about the food issue b/c i have struggled with food since i was young. just recently have i felt like mine is under control. i try to be careful of what and when i snack and i make sure she gets the best...organic, homemade (even when we go out to eat, which isn't often), no artificial anything-colors, flavors or preservatives. kids need the fat to support bone growth so try not to worry too much. if you do limit her intake make sure it's for her and not b/c of any issues you might have. if she is in the 75% she's doin' fine. also, try to teach her to slow down when she eats. we are still working on this with our daughter. we have to make her take one bite, show us she chewed it up and then she can take another. make a game out of it and she'll eventually get it. also explain how dangerous it is to shove her food in her mouth and she might get that too, especially as she gets older and her understanding increases. finally, don't give her any low fat products. she needs the fat. (actually no one she be eating low fat but that's another story for another time...)
good luck! let me know if i can help in any way.

Oh yes! I have an 18 month old and we go through the same thing. But I went through the same thing with his older brother and he is very tall and slender. I wouldn't worry at all if you are feeding her healthy foods and as long as she is active. She's burning calories as quickly as she is taking them in.

If she's eating fruits and veggies (more on the veggies side) then she will be wanting to eat a little bit more. I would take her on long walks and let her eat as much as she wants. My son is now 4 and the other day asked if he was too thin. He also had a buddah belly. He still eats all the time! He eats carrots, broccoli, apples, cauliflower (all raw). This morning he ate 1/2 a canalope along with a banana and hashbrowns. I would be talk with your doctor about the gagging though.

Yes, I think as long as she is eating healthy she will be alright, nothing wrong with fruits and veggies. Its the chips and sweets that are harmful. My boys eat all day long and they are fine, i get them the pre cut veggies and fruit snack packs.As your baby starts to stretch she will loose that buddah belly..lol

Our daughter turned 17 months yesterday...I just noticed that she sprouted a little buddha herself. It is perhaps something to do with the age and develpmental stage that they are at right now. Her pediatrician too says that she is normal range for height and weight, although I also worry about her not being overweight. She is a voracious eater and too loves any fruit or veggie put in front of her, however also want "woffes" waffles for every meal, which of course we do not give her or she would weigh in at 200 lbs. I think it is wise and diligent parenting to be concerned about what goes into our children, but we have to also allow for the occasional cookie, otherwise they will tend to develop some sort of complex about food. Most of my nutrition books say that before age 24 months at least, they should not be put on any sort of caloric cut (diet). If you do become concerned at anytime regarding your child's weight, I would look into seeking advice from a pediatric nutritionist in your area. P.S. I found lots of really good children's nutrition cookbooks at the Half Price Bookstore.

I have the same problem for diffrent reasons, my youngest is on a medicine that causes him to eat alot. What I try to do is,give him healthie snacks, chesse crackers, ( butter free) pop corn, rice cakes, apples, 'nanners, low fat milk, and plenty of vitamins. He will not take the hard ones, or even the gummie ones so I put it into his milk.(liquid form)

When you know your little one has had enough to eat and drink...try maybe redirrecting with stickers, movie, outside time.

If all else fails maybe time out with baby gate up.
Sometimes kids learn too fast how to get what they want by crying....it's important to be firm exspecially moving into the terriable two's

About wieght gain and stuff, my eldest boy was born wieghing in at 10lbs!...he had little fat rolls on is legs and his forearms though very cute, was concerned about him being in the 90 percent ( also really tall) ....but sure as anything as he got older the wight came off. He is stockie but not over wieght by far.

Good luck
V

Yes, being a grandmother I can attest that it is normal for that age group to look like that & to want to eat unless they have some other interest to keep them occupied. Healthy food is a necessity & stimulating games, etc. to keep the mind & hands busy. Just remember, all these things are new to them at that age & they want to "discover" as much as they can, even in the area of food. There will come a time when they either get really picky about what they eat or just don't want to eat much at all but then will want to devour everything they see--especially treats. Regular meal times seem to help with snacks off & on as their stomachs aren't able to hold much at a time & as active as they are at that age it takes a bunch to keep them "fueled up" for all their activity. Best of luck. Sounds like you are being a good mom & dad.

The Buddha belly isn't from eating too much. At her age (check with your pediatrician for how long this lasts), she doesn't have the muscle tone in her belly to hold everything in, and a baby's/toddler's organs, pushing outward, are a big reason for the belly. It's very normal. If she's eating primarily healthy foods and drinking plenty of water and milk - stay away from juices, which are mostly sugar - you shouldn't worry at all. My kids were just the same, especially the older two - chunky monkeys! Now, at ages 13, 8, and 6, they are all slender and muscular. As for the eating, my kids have always gone through phases when it seems like they are eating even more than I do, and when that happens, it seems to be followed by a height gain shortly afterwards. Good luck and take care!

I don't have any great suggestions for you...just a little reassurance. It seems children this age like to eat/snack. I have two boys, and both DS1 and DS2 went through this phase. They ate all day. Neither one of them was ever more than %50 in weight, but I still was concerned. It seemed like if someone had a snack they wanted one too. Just know that this phase shall pass too.

I agree with your DH...if you offer nutritious snack, you should have too much to worry about. Good Luck!

I am on my second child. They are both very healthy boys with very healthy appetites.When my 3year old was a baby and on to almost 2,he was very chubby...but yes he did loose every bit of it.He now is nowhere near chubby and my second child is as cute and chubby as can be....and by the way...all kids want snacks and food all day!

Your daughter describes mine exactly!!! and yes, it is perfectly healthy. My daughter started walking at 9 months and her very chubby body (90%) was trimmed down to the 75% very quickly. She is now 26 months and has trimmed down considerably. She is now in the 50-75% with a small "budha" belly. Likewise, we give her TONS of fruits and veggies...Of course, she also eats a considerable amount of carbs (but we limit that too). I love what one of my friends told me: "this is the only time that a person can be viewed as cute and adorable without having a model's body and having to worry about what they look like"

I wouldn't worry about the buddha belly. Especially if you are giving her lots of healthy foods. I think you're husbands right! And I just wanted to tell you about my nephew. He had this buddha belly at that age, people would even make comments! My brother would get asked "what do you feed that kid?" and he'd answer "beer"! :) That belly was huge (and oh so cute). Well let me just tell you that now, about 4 years later he is a healthy skinny boy! No worries!

She may be hungry or she may just like chewing on things and the taste of food. It is OK to give her food as long as it is fruits and vegies only. My son always chews on celery.

B.
www.MoreForMyBaby.com

Tell her her tummy needs to rest. My daughter will constantly eat if we don't make her stop. She is very overweight because when I was working her sitter use to let her eat all day. Now it's an addiction. We offer the healthy foods, like yogurt and fruits and she will eat them, but she never wants to stop eating. I was also concerned about her relationship with food so I don't tell her she can't eat, I tell her she needs to let her tummy rest and I give her a time when she can eat again. Good luck.