Eating Habits of Middle School Students

I’m not Hungry

We’ve returned to school now after our big American “food” holiday so it seems like a prime time to discuss our students and their eating habits.  Imagine being a kid - busy all day, paperwork, projects, group tasks, interfacing with peers etc., and the lunch hour rolls around - a good chance for a break.   An important opportunity to recharge and hydrate with lunch and fluids. Food gives our bodies the nutrients needed to refuel and refresh, and also gives kids a chance to make social connections with peers and friends.  Kid’s bodies are growing and their brains are developing, and food helps to make proper development possible. Additionally, food is an essential component in supporting a child’s ability to sustain attention and focus through a long and exhausting day.  

Understanding food’s nutritional and developmental importance, and how much a typical teen can eat in a day, I  routinely wonder why some kids get to the lunch room and forgo their opportunity to eat and refuel? Non-scientific observation over the past three months of school has me aware that some of our kids choose not to eat a mid-day meal. For some, this happens occasionally - when they’ve forgotten to pack a lunch and don’t like the options being served. For others, it happens routinely and could pose a concern. What are the risks, physically and educationally, associated with routinely skipping meals?     

  

We often hear the phrase “I’m not hungry” in response to questions about why a student is not eating at lunch.  It’s hard to understand why kids - who are usually always hungry - say this. Maybe kids aren’t “supposed” to like school lunch?  Maybe it’s not cool? In 2018, school lunches are fresh, locally sourced, and varied. Kids also have more information about the reasons they should eat healthy balanced meals.  All students in VT public schools have access to health classes, where the importance of good nutrition is discussed. Still, some kids are choosing not to eat. Why? What should we do about it, and should we be concerned when our Middle Schoolers choose not to put food in their bodies?

Teens need food to support bone growth, hormonal changes, and organ and tissue development including the brain (www.aboutkidshealth.ca, 2010).  The brain grows the most in early childhood, but a significant period of brain growth happens in adolescence because the brain still needs some amount of remodeling in order to function as an adult brain.  The nutrients that an individual consumes helps fuel this brain growth. With dietary choices being one of the first decisions that kids start to make on their own outside of the home, it can sometimes be a challenge to ensure positive choices that will support healthy growth (www.aboutkidshealth.ca, 2010).

For most people, a student’s refusal to eat sends up red flags.  Thoughts of eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and mental health concerns spring to mind.  Should we jump to these concerns? Could it be something more simple? Picky eaters, hunger schedules that are out of sync with the box we try to fit them into, social anxiety about eating in such a socially charged atmosphere?  How can we know what factor is to blame when it comes to restrictive eating. Let’s look at some of the facts.

Is your child just a picky eater?  Having a picky eater is a battle that many parents fight.  When your child refuses meals, whether here at school or at home, the reality is that they are just being a normal kid.  They think that they will not like what is being served, and would rather deal with being hungry for a couple of hours than the unpleasant taste.  They understand that home holds the promise of preferred foods and a relaxing place to enjoy it. Teens are also not worried about the future so much as the “right now”, and all the information that we as adults give to them about balanced meals and nutritious choices may go out the window when the present choice is not preferred.  

There is also a distinct possibility that some students are truly just not hungry when school lunch is served.  When our bodies have burned up the food in our stomachs and our blood sugar and insulin levels begin to drop, the brain recognizes that our body wants food, and we start to eat (Cristen Conger "How Food Cravings Work" 18 August 2008.HowStuffWorks.com <https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/food-craving.htm> 19 November 2018).  You can consider some of the following when determining whether your child not eating at school is a concern:  What did they eat for breakfast? How much did they eat? Are they snacking mid-morning, and on what? What are your child’s after-school eating habits?  If your child eats a healthy breakfast consisting of protein, whole grains, fruit, and dairy, and then has a substantial mid-morning snack (that might even look more like a lunch), chances are they aren’t going to be ready to eat again at the school’s scheduled lunch hour.  Additionally, if they are provided healthy afternoon snacks to last them through planned after-school activities, or they come home and eat a relatively healthy snack while they relax or complete homework, not eating the school lunch becomes less of a concern.

When a family struggles with food insecurity (not having enough money or resources to provide enough for the family to eat), it is more important for kids to eat at school.  Students who are food insecure can receive free or reduced priced breakfast and lunch. Please inquire at the school office if you need to sign up for this benefit. When a child is food insecure and does not eat at school, it can affect their academic performance and behavioral outcomes.  Studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Pediatrics, and the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry show that hunger greatly impacts a child’s performance and behavior in school,  and leads to lower test scores and more frequent absences. (Hunger Pains: Teaching Hungry Students, Jennifer Gun, May 29, 2018).

A small percentage of students can be affected by body dysmorphia and disordered eating.  It is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms around common eating disorders, as it can be tricky to evaluate a given student’s possible descent into serious struggles around eating.   The National Eating Disorders Association lists the possible emotional and physical signs to be aware of. If you are interested in learning more about these signs, navigate here for a complete listing.   A good rule of thumb for parents who have noticed concerning behaviors in their child is to consult with their child’s teachers, school counselor, or school nurse, and then discuss their concerns with their child’s pediatrician.  Early intervention leads to more positive outcomes for individuals struggling with serious eating disorders, so don’t be afraid to reach out to the professionals around you if you suspect your child is experiencing a problem.

If you are concerned about your child’s eating habits simply because they are picky, out of sync, or unhealthy, a conversation with your child about their feelings around food and body image can be helpful.  Remember to ask open-ended questions and to give your child time to think and respond. Keep in mind that teen’s bodies are growing and that changes are significant during this period of development. So, conversations should be focused on proper nutrition and fitness instead of specific sizes or numbers on a scale.  If your child reports that they have been struggling with food-related issues, don’t scold or punish, but let them know you are going to work together as a team to solve this puzzle. Reach out to a local mental health counselor, family physician, or nutritionist to get started on a healthier path.

Parents might wonder how to know if their child is not eating regularly at school?  As mentioned previously, since food intake is one of the first things kids control on their own, it’s hard to know whether that packed or purchased lunch is being eaten, given away, or thrown away once they get to the cafeteria.  As with much of parenting, you must rely on what you can see and observe and what your gut is telling you. If a staff member notices a particular student not eating on a regular basis, they often report it to myself or the school nurse so that the message can be relayed to parents.  You can also monitor what your child purchases here at school through PowerSchool. At home, you can find non-threatening times to discuss food and nutrition with your child, and you can engage them in being part of the process of feeding the family - having them help you tackle the grocery shopping, prepare meals, and pack lunches.  Research supports the idea that the more involved kids are in meal planning and preparation, the more likely they’ll be to make positive choices with food.

Lastly, you can take a deep breath and know that in most cases, the strange eating habits of our tweens and teens will almost always sort themselves out in the end.  If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or our school nurse, Kathryn Saunders at any point. We are here to help and guide both you and your child along this journey.  Be well.