June 28, 2005
Type 2
Question from Olean, New York, USA:
My daughter is nine years old and weighs over 150 pounds. Her father has heart problems and is diabetic. Should I be concerned about my daughter getting diabetes? Should I worry about how overweight she is? I would like to know the average height and weight for nine year old girls as well. Her father is insulin dependent and gives her large amounts of Mountain Dew and all the chocolate she wants. I don’t know what to do. To me, he is abusing her by feeding her all this junk and letting her weight get way out of control. Any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Answer:
A child’s normal weight is dependent on their height. Your pediatrician can tell you if she is overweight for her height. However, I suspect that if she is an average height for a nine year old and still 150 pounds, she is clearly overweight. Because of that extra weight, she is at risk for type 2 diabetes. I would suggest visiting with your pediatrician who can help you identify community resources for weight loss and/or management for your daughter and better direct any testing that could be necessary.
MSB
