Boys tend to look a little chubby and gangly (long arms and legs compared to the trunk) just prior to and at the onset of puberty. They start to experience a growth spurt as they progress further into puberty, with the peak occurring during the later stages of sexual maturation.
On average, boys do most of their growing between 12 and 16. During those four years, they might grow an entire foot and gain as much as 50 to 60 pounds.
Boys. As you go through puberty, you'll get taller, your shoulders will get broader, and as your muscles get bigger, your weight will increase.
Even so, most pediatricians and other healthcare providers will want to rule out a medical basis for rapid weight gain. More often than not, though, weight gain before and during puberty is related to a teen's stage of development, lifestyle, and/or daily food and eating habits.
Puberty – Increased hormones in a child's body during puberty (between the ages of 10 and 14 for girls and between the ages of 12 and 16 for boys) leads to growth and possible expansion of “baby fat” areas. This typically takes place in girls' belly, breast area and hips. Boys' shoulders will get broader.
As puberty gets underway, girls accumulate fat which is needed to start their menstrual cycle. Initially, girls gain a layer of fat which may give them a rounded belly. In time this fat around the middle is redistributed to the breasts, thighs, and hips to give girls a curvy look.
Young children have weak rectus abdominis, better known as six-pack muscle giving rise to the swollen belly appearance. The strength of this muscle will improve with time, resulting in a less prominent belly.
Body shape – Another sign of puberty in girls is changing body shape, particularly extra fat in the belly area (some call it “baby fat”). Weight gain can cause anxiety for girls. This is part of normal development, and her body will redistribute the fat from the stomach and waist to the breast and hips.
Lean body mass in girls diminishes from approximately 80 percent to 75 percent by the end of puberty, while the amount of body fat increases. In comparison, the percentage of lean muscle mass in boys increases from about 80 percent to 90 percent by the time they reach adulthood.
The changes that come with puberty include weight gain and, in guys, broader shoulders and increased muscle mass. Because everyone is on a different schedule, some of your friends may have started puberty when they were as young as 8 (if they're girls) or 9 (if they're guys).
Noticeable weight gain may occur prior to a growth spurt as excess fat helps promote growth. As a child goes through puberty, their stores of body fat may change. For example, girls tend to gain more fatty tissue in the hips, thighs and buttocks, while boys may have an increase in fat on their stomachs.
A majority of people who have gone through puberty do not have obesity just after puberty because pre-pubertal and pubertal weight gain are gradual and obesity develops over a period of many years. Therefore, more people are obese later in life.
A larger growth spurt is associated with a larger increase in body weight. Additionally, excess fat helps promote growth.
“It's normal for a child to slim down between ages 2 and 5,” says pediatrician Roy Kim, MD. “Your child will look their thinnest about the time they start kindergarten.”
For most children, belly fat will be transitional. That is, it will go away as your child grows taller. Making sure your child is getting enough sleep, is physically active each and every day, and eats a nutritious, balanced diet will go a long way to supporting this natural transition into puberty.
Both males and females experience hormonal changes before the 1st physical signs of puberty are manifested. As sex hormones increase, changes in the body's proportion of lean, fat, and skeletal mass occur. For females an increase in body fat begins at 7 years and continues through ages 16-18 years.
Most children have a slimmer appearance during middle childhood than they did during the preschool years. This is due to shifts in the accumulation and location of body fat. As a child's entire body size increases, the amount of body fat stays relatively stable, giving her a thinner look.
More significant weight gain is normal during the preadolescent ages of roughly 9 to 12 and adolescence – as a child matures into a young adult. It's not unusual for the body to store fat during this time as it prepares for the rapid growth and changes associated with puberty.
Many girls go through a chubby phase at 13 only because their bodies have stopped using so many calories for vertical growth, but their food intake hasn't changed. By adopting healthy habits now, your next growth spurt can leave you with a lean, athletic shape and a brand new lifestyle that will keep it that way.
Puberty in women normally occurs between 11 and 14 years of age. If a child reaches a particular weight (around 45 kg or 100 lb), the onset of puberty is triggered. The heavier the child, the earlier puberty occurs, possibly affecting risk of later disease.
Abdominal distension
If your child's abdomen feels swollen and hard, and if she has not had a bowel movement for more than one or two days or is vomiting, call your pediatrician. Most likely the problem is due to gas or constipation, but it also could signal a more serious intestinal problem.
Answer: It is generally normal for toddlers to have potbellies. By the time children reach school age, the potbelly will most often disappear and their bodies seem more proportionate. The belly should feel soft and NOT tender.
Gas and bloating usually are caused by something your child eats or drinks, including some natural health products and medicines. Gas and bloating are usually harmless and go away without treatment. But changing your child's diet can help end the problem.