# Does my daughter have eating issues?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-daughter-have-eating-issues/638754>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 24, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-daughter-have-eating-issues/638754 "2012-10-24T20:01:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-daughter-have-eating-issues/638754/41 "2012-10-26T18:26:34Z")

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Yes I was there. Would you have me force open her mouth and shove food in?

As I said, she’s one of four kids. They get themselves breakfast. There are lots of options, they can grab a bowl of cereal, fruit, waffles, eggs, toast… whatever. She says she’s not hungry in the morning, and I encourage her to at least have a banana or something. But I don’t stand over her to watch, and I don’t force her to eat.

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**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-daughter-have-eating-issues/638754/42 "2012-10-26T18:30:30Z")

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> [@Weedy](#):
>
> You can get [BMI charts for kids](http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growth/bmi_charts.html). A healthy BMI for a ten yr old is between 14 and 20, according to the one in the link.

Thanks. According to this, her BMI is just over 14. So on the low end of a healthy weight.

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**Author:** ![FlyByNight512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@FlyByNight512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyByNight512)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-daughter-have-eating-issues/638754/43 "2012-10-26T18:39:16Z")

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Just seconding what other posters have said about eating disorders sometimes including binges or only a gradual restriction in what they’ll eat. It can be very normal kid behavior, or it can be the first signs of trouble. Really, it takes a professional to make that call.

I really like the idea of having her (and other siblings if applicable) start cooking some meals. And getting some education on nutrition and what the human body needs for athletic performance. I don’t know about your daughter, but I’ve found that the most accurate indicator of how well my workout’s going to go is whether or not I’ve eaten enough that day. Skipping a meal = no energy = crappy performance.

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