Teen Doesn't Eat-Never Hungry

[karenb2001]

I have a 15 year boy that has always been a picky eater.  Last year, I took him to the doctor for a physical and explained my concerns. She said as long as his weight is normal (it was in the low percentile for average) don't push food on him anymore.  To be honest, it was a relief not to argue over meals anymore.  I told him to eat when he wants, what he wants and take a daily multivitamin.  He's tall and very thin, to the point he is aware of it and tries to hide it under bulky clothing.  He has expressed he would love to gain weight, that I should buy protein drinks or anything high in calories.  My question is:  Is there a condition where someone is rarely hungry and has an aversion to most foods?  He says sometimes he gets hungry, then it passes and he's not hungry anymore.  He wants to change, but nothing looks good to eat.  I would like to add he does eat cereal and pizza with no problems and never gets tired of this diet.  He has been this way since about 2years old.  I can't seem to find anything on the internet except about anorexia, which doesn't seem right because he wants to gain weight.

[Mjn9311]

I am a boy and im 15 years old and im a picky eater.  All i eat is Pizzia, soup, pb&J and thats about it.  i drink 1 glass of milk every day. I all so eat pop tarts for break feast.  i want to gain 30 pounds , i only way 100 pounds. please comment and help me find a way to gain weight.

[claus9]

I see that this was posted back in 2008. How are you doing now? Were you able to gain some weight?

[claus9]

I see that this was posted back in 2008. How are you doing now? Were you able to gain some weight?

[dollface234]

OMG, I cannot believe I found this forum.  My son is 17, he is exactly the same as the rest.  He is 5'11, 110 lb.  All he likes to eat is pizza, cereal, and pb&j  and chips.   Recently he caught a cold and seems thinner and I noticed he has dark circles under his eyes.  We are very concerned and think he might have an eating disorder or some physcological reason for not wanting to eat.  I feel bad because I am always bugging him to eat his dinner.  Now that I have read your comments, it seems like it is not uncommon, we will still go to the doctors, but, I think just having alot of what he likes to eat in the house is the best thing now.  Thanks for all your comments, as a mom, it makes me feel better to know he will be ok.

[cowmamma]

ok wow these are more of you out there. Our 17 yr old son is super skinny too and a super picky eater. Opens the fridge, and cabinets, that are stocked full of all kinds of food, and says there is nothing to eat. Says he is always hungry but nothing ever looks good. Tells us that he likes food that looks good ( sort of like a restaurant would present the food). Lately has had a sensitive to milk and some dairy products, but does not have Celiac disease. Milk and other dairy products were a staple for him, but having less now. Could live on pizza and mac and cheese, but I can tell he does get sort of bored and sick of it, but still refuses to try "new" foods. It drives me crazy! Sometimes he won't eat anything til dinner, due to stubbornness maybe or ???? Help!!

[svel86]

Thanks for posting your story. My 15 yr old son, too.  Being sensitive to dairy, he won't eat mac and cheese anymore.  sometimes he pulls the cheese off a slice of pizza.  I noticed that he only eats one food item per meal.  Never mixes anything with a side dish.  One pizza slice, done. One hamburger, done. One pancake, done. Growing up he would always eat bread and butter if we went out to a restaurant.  Just plain food no variety.  No complex flavors, no sauces..I know he gets bored of eating pizza or a plain hamburger on a bun.  He will skip a meal if I don't stay after him.  Just no interest or little appetite.   He is 5'7 and weighs 100 pounds.  He wants to gain weight but just can't.  His dr says not to worry because he has always been at the bottom of the weight  chart.   Dr doesn't understand how each day is a struggle getting my son to eat a decent size meal of anything. A sore throat or any kind of mild sickness and he drops 5 pounds!  I found very high calorie boost drink boxes, he's been having daily for 9 months.  no weight gain, but no weight loss either.

[nuggets12]

I have a relative who is 11 years old, a boy and he has always had a horrible appetite - just doesn't want anything. He seems to eat what we call a 'white' diet:  white bread, macaroni and cheese, dinner rolls, toast, etc. He will not eat meat - won't even have a hamburger or fries unless it is from a fast food place.  No fruits, no vegetables, no eggs, some milk he will drink - won't even eat candy. He is small for his size and the parents don't push the questions with the doctors and the doctors keep saying - oh, he's small for his age.  He has bad looking teeth and seems pale most the time and his eyes don't look healthy.  Blood work has not shown anything. Any ideas? Endocrine problem?  an eating disorder?

[xjcx0]

I have to comment just because all of the respones seem either not helpful, or are futher related to boys (while i do understand that the original post was as well) I just want to say that I'm a 22 year old female and have always been the same way. I can barely manage to eat once a day and am rarely ever hungry. It's not because there is anything wrong but because of our animal insticts. Some people need more food than others while some bodies only require the bare minimum for survival. Not everyone eats until they feel full and not everyone requires the same nutritional values. Our body will tells us when it needs nutrients and when it no longer requires them. We were meants to survive not feel full.

On another note, seeing as your son wants to gain weight and has this issue, I would suggest protein drinks and meal suppliments such as boost. With this type of motabolism the body seems to respond better to liquids instead of solids.

[Renee1987]

There were times during my teenage years (female; now 23-year-old) when I was virtually never hungry.  I didn't dare mention this to my parents, because my mother would freak out and whine about how I never appreciate her cooking, but after a growth-spurt, I just generally wasn't very hungry.

[gottagit]

I have a 12 years old son who weighs 65 lbs. He never eats anything. He has ADHD and is on some meds that could keep his appetite suppreses but he has never eaten anything. He does get a bit hungry at night but only for junk food. I am affraid that at his age it could affect his brain from growing along with everything else. I have taken him to the doctor but they have found nothing. He just will not eat and when he does he only eats half and then tells me he won't eat anymore. I am scared for his health. Any comments would be appreciated

[BarLeeFort]

I noticed your comment was from 2010 so you probably won't answer.   I was wondering if it ever got better.  My 12 year old grandson is also on meds, only 4'7" and 60 lbs.  He hardly eats anything.  Doctor said he will never reach puberty.  Was there any treatment, and did your son finally catch up with his peers?

[Boymom3life]

My son is 12, 4'8 and has weighed 61 lbs for about 4 years. He could live on pizza, pizza rolls, pizza lunchables, wings, cereal, chips and sometimes fruit or salads. We have to make him take a few bites of foods at dinner but he hates it. He won't eat sandwiches, pastas, rice, spaghetti, milkshakes or even Mac n cheese like most kids. His thyroid level was borderline low, vitamin d is low and I am trying to get him checked for gluten issues. He gets canker sores frequently.  He hates being so little but he is never hungry so he won't eat unless we feed him one of these staple foods. He will go all day without eating if someone doesn't make him eat. What is wrong with our children? I can't get good answers from the doctor. They say take a vitamin and probiotic and he will be fine.

[Paxiled]

You might consider making a new post -- this one is very old.  As for the Vitamin D, doesn't your child go outside in the daytime?  That's how we get Vitamin D, from sunshine.  As for his diet, my brother didn't eat a lot of foods when he was young either and actually still doesn't and he's nearly 70.  He was never small, though.  The things you say he likes to eat, though, should make him overweight.  A borderline low thyroid was probably not properly tested -- they probably tested his TsH, but not his free T3 and T4, which are the two main thyroid hormones.  Without testing those a couple of times to make sure it wasn't a fluke test, you don't know if he has a thyroid problem, which can cause all kinds of problems.  But you know your child better than we do -- I always felt my parents should have been harder on my brother and although it's worked out okay for him, his is on a pacemaker and he has always gotten too many colds.  But as I said, he's had a successful life so it's hard to say it would have been better.  But again, the kinds of foods he ate and your son eats should cause someone to be overweight and fleshy, not small.  Something is wrong both with your son psychologically because if he knows he doesn't eat enough but still does it, that's a problem, and physiologically as well.  Ever thought about seeing a different doctor or a specialist of some kind?