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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Binge eating or just a sweet tooth?

13 replies

Fluffycosyrug · 20/10/2021 22:53

Ever since ds was old enough to eat independently he has binged on sweet foods at any opportunity. I must say that he is very slim so no one has ever taken my concerns seriously.

I've never stopped him from having anything but have always tried to offer a normal balanced diet with an everything in moderation approach.

But for as long as I can remember he has snuck food, if we had a packet of biscuits or anything like that they'd be fine in a couple of days, he will hide wrappers, he will eat Nutella, jam, syrup directly from the jar until I go to make a cake and realise it's all gone. Recently he's eaten a 500g bag of raisins and half a bottle of maple syrup over the course of a few days. He has tantrums in restaurants if we aren't buying a dessert. He inhales anything sugary without barely even chewing and I've seen him eating until he looks ready to throw up. As a young child I've caught him eating stuff out of the bin.

If there are no sugary foods in the house he will binge on dry white bread leaving no bread left for anyone else.

I'm at the end of my tether. He constantly tells me he doesn't want his dinner because it's disgusting.

We always have other food available like eggs, cheeses, nuts, raw veg a range of fruit, I've tried offering him high protein filling foods but he's so fussy.

My other dc aren't like this.

OP posts:
Strangevipers · 20/10/2021 23:35

How old is he ?

Ladyof · 21/10/2021 10:44

My daughter is exactly like this and I have asked before but got no answers, I really do worry.

Fluffycosyrug · 21/10/2021 10:56

He is 13.

I have taken the step this morning if phoning a helpline and also made a GP appointment. It's really difficult because I don't want to sit feeling off all of the things that he does in front of him. But I need some support with it now.

@Ladyof how old is your daughter? Has she always been like this?

OP posts:
Strangevipers · 21/10/2021 11:56

Thankfully he's not refusing to eat!

At 13 and a boy if you are not constantly eating and constantly eating unhealthy things then I would be worried.

The kids has a sweet tooth and is growing so possibly constantly hungry for the foods he wants

I wouldn't worry

Fluffycosyrug · 21/10/2021 12:06

The trouble is he's been doing this since he was 5 years old. It isn't a new thing or a growth spurt thing.

This week I noticed he'd eaten a 500g bag of raisins over the course of a few days, as well as the other things he'd usually eat.

Is it normal at 13 to cause a huge scene in the street or in a restaurant because he believe that his brothers dessert portion is bigger or because his brother has sweets from a friends birthday? Is it normal to take part in a school cake sale and eat the cakes you're supposed to be selling? Is it normal to eat cake from the bin and pick sweets up that someone has dropped on the floor?

I just don't know anymore, do other peoples children really all do this?

OP posts:
tenredthings · 21/10/2021 12:29

Trust your instincts. It could be psychological. Does he have memories attached to eating sweets when he was younger ? Sugar is addictive, can you just not buy anything with sugar in then at least he'll have to get it from fruit and bread which is a little healthier.

Fluffycosyrug · 21/10/2021 12:48

Thank you @tenredthings my instinct just tells me there's a bit more going on than just a hungry boy.

You are absolutely right that sugar is highly addictive and I've thought about doing a complete detox of highly sugary foods, I wouldn't mention it of course but just make sure there's nothing in. There always seems to be something that gets in the way, a visit from grandparents, a day out or a birthday, or the jar of jam lurking in the back of the cupboard I'd forgotten about.

I have wondered if there was a trigger from when he was very young. One thing was he would go to my mothers house and she'd overload him with treats and snacks until he was ready to burst, she'd wrap him in a blanket in front of the tv with lots of snacks, he'd come home with stomach aches. She stopped when she noticed he was sneakily taking sweets from her kitchen.

He's taken his siblings selection boxes at Christmas and hidden the empty packets.

OP posts:
Ladyof · 21/10/2021 13:08

My daughter is just 15. Would you mind keeping my posted? She is really sensitive when I mention how much rubbish she eats so I have to be so careful

FusionChefGeoff · 21/10/2021 13:17

I don't have this issue - yet - but it's one of the parenting issues I really struggle with. My own restrict / binge / bulimic behaviours mean I tie myself up in knots that my instincts will be completely off.

Message is to allow everything in moderation - don't ban junk food. Fine.

Some food is better for you than others but don't make high sugar / high fat food a forbidden item as this causes binging. Fine.

Message is to look at food as a transaction - don't link to emotions etc. Fine.

How then do you get across a message that sweets / chocolate / jam aren't everyday foods WITHOUT inadvertently giving the 'treat' 'reward' 'emotional' message??

I agree OP this does sound a bit extreme and either GP or private counselling would definitely be on my radar I think.

Strangevipers · 21/10/2021 23:12

@Fluffycosyrug

The trouble is he's been doing this since he was 5 years old. It isn't a new thing or a growth spurt thing.

This week I noticed he'd eaten a 500g bag of raisins over the course of a few days, as well as the other things he'd usually eat.

Is it normal at 13 to cause a huge scene in the street or in a restaurant because he believe that his brothers dessert portion is bigger or because his brother has sweets from a friends birthday? Is it normal to take part in a school cake sale and eat the cakes you're supposed to be selling? Is it normal to eat cake from the bin and pick sweets up that someone has dropped on the floor?

I just don't know anymore, do other peoples children really all do this?

Ahhhh right now you have explained that OP I get what your saying now.

GP all the way. Sounds very upsetting but fixable as you have realised there's a possible issue and the GP is likely the next step

Have you tried asking him why he eats all that sugar?

Is it hunger?
It is boredom?
Is it laziness ?
Is it meal times aren't at times when he's hungry?
Is he worried the sugary food will run out?
Is he worried food in general will run out? Covid making it worse with panic buyers and empty shelves?
Did he not have sweet things as a kid and is making up for it now?
Does he feel he's too skinny and want to put on weight and thinks eating rubbish will do that?

RedLightGreenL1ght · 21/10/2021 23:17

Sounds a little off so trust your instincts

I have a 14 year old DS and he quite happily polished off a entire box of 18 mini doughnuts tonight before his dinner, despite me telling him to just have a couple! He will put away a large dominos if allowed with no problem and sometimes eats a steady stream of food all day - filled bagels, chicken wraps, crisps, his healthy dinners etc

What he won't do is eat 500g bags of raisins or jars of syrup so I suspect something else is at play here so you're wise to seek medical advice

DukeofEarlGrey · 22/10/2021 00:18

It doesn’t sound normal OP but you are right that sugar is very addictive and it sounds as though this pattern set in a long time ago. My first thought is that his blood sugar levels must be spiking significantly throughout the day which will set up the cycle of craving more. I think a dietician would be the most helpful thing, but in the short term if you can get him to eat balanced meals as well as the sugary stuff his overall blood sugar levels will be more stable.

ClaraHedgehogs · 13/11/2021 23:49

Ignore what other people are saying about him having a sweet tooth! This is more than a sweet tooth
I would get him to see a GP, good luck! 🙂

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