Reply to When does picky eating become abnormal or a eating disorder? 13yo

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
Also, I understand that anorexia/bulimia/other serious eating disorders are a big deal and that picky eating isn't comparable to that. I didn't mean to make light of serious eating disorders by using the term (although it appears that in fact, selective eating is something that is considered by eating disorder specialists, so maybe not completely off-base?).

[/quote]

There's a range.   Picky eating isn't considered an eating disorder.   Extreme selective eating to the extent that the child isn't getting enough calories to gain and grow, or nutrition is otherwise impacted (and can't be remedied by a simple vitamin/mineral supplement) could be an eating disorder called ARFID   (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder).   ARFID is a very serious eating disorder, as serious as anorexia nervosa.   It can have similar bad outcomes and can last longer and be harder to treat.

But if your step son is able to get enough calories to maintain weight I don't think it rises to the level of being diagnosed as ARFID.   Especially because it sounds like he's eating a good bit of meat.  Now, if he ever drops the meat, you might find over time his pickiness solidifies even more.  In my experience often kids get worse and worse when the go vegetarian. [b] (Not that all vegetarian kids turn out to have problems eating -- not at all!   But if you are a picky eater AND a vegan/vegetarian you are going to have a really tough time getting all your necessary nutrients in)[/b].[/quote]

It's really not that hard. I've been a vegetarian since I was 4 years old and I've always managed to get enough nutrients in without that much planning.
It's been 40 years and I've had few problems and have plenty of energy for work and regular physical exercise. Sometimes Americans overestimate what they need to eat versus what they are used to eating.
Throw in some nuts, beans and good fats (avocado, cheese, ) every so often and you're doing ok.

Though for someone like me it's too bad all of the milk is pasteurized as that kills all of the B vitamins that naturally occur in milk.[/quote]

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