Reply to 16 YO DS Change in Eating Habits negatively affecting health

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[quote=Anonymous]I have a 21 YO DS and a 16 YO DS who are both funny, outgoing, personable kids/young adults.

But in the last year (or so) my 16 YO DS has had a drastic change in his eating habits. At his last doctor's appointment in August 2014 he was 5 foot 8 and 152 pounds, at a normal weight and fairly healthy (alba it at the top end of normal). He has never been super active, preferring to stay in and play games or read then play on a sports team. He's never (before) really looked unhealthy, more just looking solidly built (like my DH) with broad shoulders and some natural muscle.

In the last year he has started eating a lot more, and a lot more unhealthily. We always try to eat healthily at home, no soda, orange juice with breakfast and water/skim milk at other times, and home cooked, moderately portioned meals most nights (and a pack, healthy lunch for school). But, I think because he started to have some money from babysitting a couple of my friend's kid, he has increasingly started to go with his friends to fast food places after school and eating a whole meal, then coming home and eating our normal dinner as well, and sometimes just listening to what he is eating makes me queasy, a large burger, soda, and fries from a local burger place, chipotle with all the extras (with a soda and chips, of course), stuff like that. When we sat him down and told him maybe he should slow down with the after school snacks, he stopped reading them off to me (this was maybe halfway through the school year, when we started to worry because he had clearly gained some weight) and got really defensive saying that this was what all the kids his age ate, and that he was not fat and we were worrying too much. After this he never said he was actually eating after school, but would often come home late after 'hanging out with friends' and has continued to get larger.

I doubt it is genetic, I am patite and my DH, while large as I said before, was a tight end in college and is more muscle then fat.

I'm really worried because he has outgrown all of his shorts from last year, yes in height, but most noticeably in girth. Most don't even button at this point. Some were shorts that he needed a belt for last year. I don't know his exact weight or height right now - I'm kind of scared and ashamed right now - though we have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so I guess we will know then, but I'm worried because last year he was close to the top of the normal range and if he isn't overweight this year I will be highly surprised.

I have suggested that he and his friends find other activities after school, but he always says they are hungry and they all eat the same amount and don't gain weight so why should he worry.

I know he has noticed his weight gain, as so far this summer he's only gone with us to the pool once (he used to love swimming, it was the one sport he actually enjoyed), and he kept his shirt on and didn't even get into the pool, instead just hanging out with his friends by the pool tablet he entire time. I'm just worried that he is in denial over exactly how much weight he has gained, or just doesn't care enough to stop eating.

As a note, it is not just out of home that he has been eating more, the past year we have noticed that what little snack food we have is often missing foster a night, I suspect he is sneaking down to the kitchen after we go to bed and eating even more.

I'm just at my wit' send right now, I want to make him come home right after school and stop him from spending his money on food, but that is his time to hangs out with his friends and I can't really pull his funds, as they are just the money he makes from babysitting. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to handle this?[/quote]

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