WORRIED AS DAUGHTER IS OVERWEIGHT

Dear Coleen

I have two daughters who couldn’t be more different. The 10-year-old is just like her dad – tall and skinny. No matter how much she eats, she just can’t put on any weight. My youngest, who is seven, is more like me and struggles with her weight.

As a family, we try to be active and limit sugar, but my youngest daughter is naturally greedier than her sister and has a sweeter tooth.

She just has a different body shape and already looks a little overweight with a bit of a tummy.

When the girls argue my eldest sometimes makes fun of this, which we tell her off for. But kids notice these things and I’m sure my youngest is going to start having other kids at school saying she’s tubby, if they haven’t already.

I want to help her lose weight but I know I have to handle this situation really sensitively. Any advice?

Coleen says I don’t think you should tell her anything, just do it all quietly. Cook healthier meals and swap sugary snacks for healthy ones instead.

If she says, “Why can’t I have chocolate?” just say the whole family want to be healthy. Don’t talk about fat tummies or weight, just talk about being healthy, fit and strong. Schools do a lot of work now teaching children about sugar and why it’s bad for your health, so stick to that. Don’t bring weight into it.

As for her elder sister, that’s pretty normal – it’s just siblings, but by all means tell her off and explain it’s not nice to talk about her sister’s weight, but do it when her little sister isn’t around to hear so she doesn’t become paranoid.

Try to relax and let this work itself out, which I’m sure it will.