2 Year Old Eating ALL the Time

i have to agree with the no fat thing. babies/toddlers dont need to be fat free, its required for all sorts of things like brain development. I mean they need whole fat milk and cheese and yogurt. though have the doc check him for an imbalance on a disorder i cant remeber the name of but the person is hungry all the time!

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2 year olds do NOT need fat free food. (healthy) Fat is ESSENTIAL for brain develop. Not to mention that it is partially the fat that cues the stomach/brain for satiety (fullness).

Children that age will NOT overeat healthy foods. If your child is constantly asking for food, he's _hungry_. Stay away from extremely low-fat foods and start introducing things that are higher in the good fats. Obviously no trans-fats or saturated fats, etc. You might try introducing some kind of nuts or seeds that are loaded with the good stuff - peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, etc - depending on your comfort level and food allergy concerns.

If your child is not eating junk food and is only eating healthy foods, you have nothing to worry about. Listen to your doctor. How big are you and your husband frame-wise? If you are tall/average, your child may just be following your genetics.

My three are TINY. My husband's family are all short and skinny. My almost 6 year old isn't even 40 pounds yet. And she eats anything and everything. My just about to turn 4 year old is 36" tall and 29 pounds soaking wet. My youngest (the only boy) is much heftier than the girls ever were at his age, but compared to other kids he's dinky. In contrast, my cousin's son is 3 and he's taller and heavier than my almost 6 daughter.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/growthcharts/c... This link is to the CDCs website and they have charts to track growth for children from birth on up to 5 years or so. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/growthcharts/set2clin...

At 27 months and 36" high, your son is hovering aroun the 50th percentile according to the chart. That's average. He's about the 97th percentile for weight, but that could mean anything. He could be about to hit a growth spurt and shoot upwards. I've found that they don't grow up AND out symetrically. It's one then the other. So the get heavier and then they get taller. I REALLY wouldn't worry.

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Toddlers are very active, growing children. They do tend to eat a lot. What my doctor has had me do with my children, is give them little snacks to munch on. Cheerios, or maybe baby carrots. Just little things to snack on in between meals. This worked for my older two. My current 2yr old, wont eat a meal at all. She has mini meals throughout the day. She has a bowl of cereal that she might snack on for a while in the morning, and a yogurt for breakfast. I buy her little toddler meals by gerber for her lunches, she has an afternoon snack, she picks at a plate of dinner, and an evening snack.... all healthy foods. We do have desert once in a while, but its usually something small.
Every toddler is different, easting habits and needs are no different.

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Hi there, Until your child is around 3 years old, his body will control how much he needs to eat. Chance are good that his body is not getting enough fat because everything you are feeding him is low fat or fat free. His body is telling itself that it needs the fat and he will need to keep eating to get it. Children need fat to help their brain develop properly. It doesn't have to be bad fat, but nuts or avacados, or cheese, whole milk yogurt.....are all good for you, and for you child. If you are concerned about him getting fat, encourage him to go for walks with you, or have a running contest, or "how far can you jump...how many times?" games. Your doctor is right about not saying no. Unless it is right before dinner, let him have a snack. As for him being over weight, most boys pack on the pounds before they go through a growth spurt and will then thin out as they grow. It also sounds like you control his portions too much. He WILL stop eating when his body has everything it needs...including fat.

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No wonder he is eating all the time, he is starving for fats. Children need a high amount of fats to develop their nervous system, brain, bones, and just about everything properly. I mean like fat from real butter, not that toxic margarine, and not those industrially processed vegetable oils that are making everybody sick. He needs butter, cod liver oil, and a high fat diet to make up for all those low fat meals. I hope you will let him eat as much plain butter as he wants, it's very good for children. The reason he would be hungry all the time is because the body knows that when it gets enough fats it is full, yet no matter how many carbs a person or child consumes, the body will always hunger for more. The same goes for food that is not nutrient dense. If he is already on a low fat diet, he is probably in dire need of the fat soluble vitamins and essential fats. Please check out www.westonaprice.org and you will find a great deal of information on healthy food for children.

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I know a lot of other posters have mentioned this, but children that young need fat! It's crucial for brain and nerve development. He probably eats constantly because he's craving fat and not getting it. I'm sure you can find the correct percentage of his calories that need to come from fat somewhere online. It's a great opportunity to teach them healthy sources at that age--cold water fish like salmon, nuts, omega-three eggs and similar items. I gave my daughter whole fat dairy products (organic) until at least two. At three and a half, she's down to two percent.

Hope that helps!

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Hi C.,

I agree with many of the repsonses already. I have been in the nutritional industry for 14 years so I do have some advice as well. Fat free and low fat foods are terrible for anyone! They are loaded with chemicals but they are also loaded with sugar. The added sugar is going to continue to make your son eat more. Avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup, or any thing that says dextrose. I also beleive that the more organic you eat the better and find a great mutti-vitamin, one that does not have any preservatives or additives.

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your son is not overweight and you should let him eat whenever he wants, especially since the food is so healthy. I worry when someone already restricts a two year old's diet and says no to food. I know you want the best for him, but what is best for us is not what is best for him. Let him eat and change some things over from no-fat to regular, they need it! All the reports on childhood obesity are scary, but don't let them put you over the edge. The average kid can eat junk and be fine. It is when their only three activities are watching tv, playing video games and computer that they get into trouble.

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I agree with the doctor feed him as long as is healthy food, however I wouldn't give him AS MUCH low fat-fat free food (is full of unhealthy ingridients) or red meats/porks (a lot of saturated fats)give him organic products instead, read the labels and you'll see the difference. Our family changed to organic and love it. I don't work or represent any organic company, nor in the medical field, just looking for healthy and nutrient food.

Good luck

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