15 DS not eating much - normal?

[WhatsGoingOnEh]

I thought teenage boys were meant to eat you out of house and home? My lovely 15 y/o DS is rarely hungry anymore. He's got into a bad pattern these holidays - staying up very late playing computer games, then sleeping till lunchtime.

Then he might have an afternoon snack, then eat half his dinner... and that's it.

He says he's really not hungry.

I've let him have a slobby summer so far as his younger brother has broke his arm 2 weeks ago, so we've been forced to stay home. But now I'm getting worried - where's his appetite?

He says he feels fine. He's about 5' 9" tall and was previously a bit chubby but he's obviously changing shape now with bigger shoulders.

What can/should I do? Anything?

Unless you suspect an eating disorder of some type I wouldn't worry about it. My DS (now 18) sometimes won't finish his dinner, but then two hours later he'll be eating pretzels or some other not so great for you snack.

I think as long as you offer plenty of good food choices kids will eat what they need.

Sounds a lot like my ds - I too worried but then realised that he's almost regressed back to toddler grazing style eating.

My dd is the same. Sleeps till lunchtime then eventually has a small snack and then maybe has a bit of dinner.

Thanks for your replies! But that's the thing - he's not even snacking between meals. He'll get up about midday, and not eat anything. He might grab a sandwich about 3/4pm, then eat half his tea about 6pm. But that's it for the whole day.

If he was taking crisps up to his room or making toast at 10pm I wouldn't be worried. 😀

Thanks, dementedpixie. Maybe it's normal then.

I just remember my older brother eating entire blocks of cheddar and drinking whole pints of milk in his teens.

Are you sure hes not snacking up in his room and throught the night when hes gaming?
Do you thinks he's underweight?

If it was a 15 year old girl would you be worried about eating disorders?

X post about the snacking, I would be worried if my child was only eating that much in a day.

I don't think he's snacking at all. He hasn't got any food in his room.

He has been drinking those Lucozade sports drinks. Maybe they're filling him up?

Writing this down has given me a bit of a wake-up call -- have I let him become really unhealthy?!

I think my dd has lost weight and i don't think she always eats enough. Hopefully it will improve when she gets back to school and back to normal daytime hours. She's back on Thursday (Scotland)

I wouldn't worry too much if it's just started happening due to the school holidays. My DS is 13 and generally has a HUGE appetite. He's not eating so much over the school holidays (certainly not this last week or so) as our routine has gone completely out of the window.

He was up first thing for breakfast and spent the day pottering around. I looked in on him this afternoon - he was having a nap . I cooked his normal sized dinner and he only ate half of it.

Get him off those drinks they are very unhealthy and if you check their main ingredient is sugar and possibly caffeine. He is probably dulling his appetite

he probably has no appetite because he isn’t doing anything active. are you able to get him up and out, swimming or cycling? even send him to the shops for a few things so he can walk a little?

he’s still growing and 15 is quite young, you dont want him to end up deficient in anything. he should be having lots of food at his age.

My 16 yr old has never had a big appetite.. and nor did my now adult son. As long as they are getting some veg and fruit in, I wouldn't worry too much over the summer - lack of routine and hot weather won't be helping. Keep an eye on it when he goes back to school.. and get him off those drinks.

My 2 boys of similar age go through phases of eating loads then not eating much. I've put it down to the same thing as when they were babies and having growing spurts!?! But also my boys steal food, snack all day etc. So it's s little more difficult to control their appetites!

I was told a few years ago by our Dr that lucozade is a meal in a bottle, so that could be why he's not hungry. Also, if he's not doing much he's not working up an appetite.

Agree that the Lucozade drinks aren't a good idea, and that more exercise would probably increase his appetite, but I really wouldn't worry unduly. Both my teenage DS have been through phases of not seeming to eat too much, and then it changes again. They've also been through phases of getting up late and hanging morosely around the house playing computer games so much it drives me mad, but those phases have passed too.

The sports drinks means hes drinking the calories, switch them out for bottles of mineral water in the fridge and see what happens.

If its caffinated that wont be helping his sleep pattern.

Id be temoted to make up a healthy snack plate, so when he forming this newer style of eating its based on a healthier new normal - that way when hes making for himself he's more likely to default to the familiar.

Ohh and if its the caffinated one and he's been drinking a couple a day for a while, he may get a banging headache when he stops drinking them.

Lucozade sport doesn't tend to have caffeine. You can get low sugar versions too.

My DS of 15 is sometimes too lazy to eat

At school he eats loads, as there is nothing better to do but at home there is gaming and youtube and sleeping

It should sort itself out when he's back into school routine?

I bring mine snacks like flapjacks, or smoothies yes I am pathetic

The lucozade doesn't have caffeine but it does have sugar. DS doesn't like fizzy drinks, so I need to move him over onto squash or something. He drinks loads of water.

I've made him flapjacks! And I love the platter idea.

I got him to eat breakfast today so that's a plus.

Thanks - I feel reassured with all your helpful posts.