Teen Night Eating and Sneaking Food

I have 4 boys. All are thin. They eat a second dinner at bedtime. Occassionally they get out of bed to eat because they are too hungry to sleep. They are growing and active; they need fuel.

Also, boys socialize with their friends by discussing the new super caffine drink, brand of Dorito, etc. He probably resents having his food monitored as you would for a younger child.

Hi, S.: Not to panic, or anything, but I would start with a physical exam with his personal physician. SOme things to think about are a metabolic disorder, like diabetes. That can make you so hungry, while you stay so skinny. I know, I'm diabetic. I can't get enough food sometimes...and I was like that as a teen. So, I'd start wtih the Doc. Good luck.

Hi S.,
You may want to get him checked out by a doctor. At the very least, have him talk to someone he feels comfortable with and try to get to the bottom of why he is doing this. My brother fought all the eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating) for 10+ years. He was in and out of treatment facilities. My parents tried everything and spent loads of money to try to help him. My brother exhibited the same behaviors your son is. Please don't think that eating disorders are just for girls. There is a growing number of teenage boys ending up with eating disorders that we once saw mainly in girls. Fortunately, there are a lot more resources for boys now than there was for my brother.
I hope everything turns out all right.
M.

P.S. My brother is finally healthy and getting married in August!! :)

Hi S.,

You have some great and interesting responses, but I wanted to provide feedback from a nutrition undergrad perspective.

Binge eating is usually classified as consuming 2,000 - 5,000+ calories in one sitting. So even if he eats a whole loaf of bread, 4-6 yogurts, and real fruit, I don't think it's enough to be medically classified as binge eating. Another criteria for this classification is time, which you didn't mention in your post but, this behavior has to take place for at least 3 months to be considered medically relevant. If it's been less than that, then kudos to you for being proactive!

One thing you'll want to monitor for is weight gain. It's one thing if he eats 2,000 calories in one sitting but doesn't gain any weight yet it's another thing if he eats all this food and begins to gain weight. The weight gain is a sign that the eating is not from hunger, but due to other issues. The issues can and often range greatly from comfort eating, to low self-esteem, to anxiety, to physical medical ailements. I see other suggestions as to why people may binge eat have already been suggested by other group members, and are entirely plausable. Most athletes will gain weight in the off-season as well, so keep that in mind when your monitoring for weight gain. It's normal for athletes to gain as much as 10 - 15 lbs in the off-season, depending on height, and isn't a sign of disordered eating.

Recognize that the one and only area you have control in this situation is the food choices he has in the house to binge on. He is much less likely to "binge" if he is consuming a nutritionally balanced, healthy diet. Keep unhealthy food to a minimum for him to have access to, even if this means a little healthier eating for the rest of the family for a while. Let me stress bare minimum, because this is the only thing you can control.

I would definitely talk to him and see if he knows why he does this, if you haven't done so already. My guess is that he told you something that doesn't appear to make sense or he told you he doesn't know why, and that's why your posting here. Unless this behavior has gone on for quite a while (with no end in sight) or he is experiencing excessive weight gain, I would hold off on making it a huge deal. You don't want your attention to somehow re-inforce the behavior.

The last thing I would suggest is trying to find ways to help HIM avoid this become a habit. At his age, you still have the power of influence, so I would use it! It's possible that what he is doing is perfectly normal for the changes taking place in his body right now, while simultaneously creating a lifelong (or maybe even a long-term) habit of eating huge amounts of food at night even after his body has slowed it growth. If you decide to talk to him about it, mention the risk of long-term habits developing and that he needs to try and not engage in this behavior because it could cause bad habits for him in the future. It's really hard to stop a night-binging route, once it's good and established, and I read of another person who posted that their son had an issue with this. Emphasize how much better it is (routine-wise) to eat throughout the day. It might be a difficult concept for a 13-year old to grasp, but he'll probably remember it for in the future.

Good luck! Feel free to message me if you want additional help!

K.

We often have more control over situations than we like to admit. We hired a nutricitianist but you can get great info from quality books... anyway all the foods you listed above create chemical reactions in brains that can be very negative especially in children whose brains are developing. You choose the foods that come into the home. It is truly amazing the changes in our entire family from drastically changing our diet. We will NEVER go back!

At 13, boys bodies are changing so fast and they need more food, might be when he is home alone or at night, he is able to relax and eat what he wants. He is making healthy choices so that is good. If his attitude gets worse or if he is hanging around kids who aren't the best influence I would suggest watching it closely. When my daughter was 16, she wasn't eating a lot at all during the day, but then she would come home and eat a lot. My husband said he wondered if she was smoking pot and getting the munchies. I asked her and she said no way, she wouldn't do that, I chose to believe her. It turned out my husband knew more about that then I did. Now I am not suggesting your son is smoking pot, but to watch all the behavior. Pot does change attitudes in teens, attitudes and interests.

Chances are your son is eating like that because he is tall and lean and going through growth and body changes.
Good luck

Teen boys eat like that. He has probably hit his growth spree. My son slept and ate then woke up to eat at 13. He grew from 6-8 inches in one school year. He also complained that his muscles hurt all the time. He was growing so fast that his muscles could not keep up with him.
One thing to take notice is what size shoe does he wear? My son was in a man's size 8 shoe in thrid grade, now at 17 he wears a 13 and he is about 6 feet tall.
But what I don't understand is why he sneaking food?

I'm guessing you're just feeling the effects of having a teenage boy. You always hear parents complain about their teenage boys eating them out of house and home. He's probably going through a massive growth spurt (or preparing for one).
If he doesn't eat like that in front of you, he's probably ashamed or embarrassed- especially if you make it a big deal or give him a hard time about it.
If I were you, since he seems to binge at night, I would make sure there was plenty of dinner loaded with protein, vegetables, and whole grains to really fill him up and keep him full. Then, provide him with a variety healthy snacks that he can eat without feeling guilty.
Good luck! I'm bracing myself for my boys' teenage years. =)

My 2 main guesses would be either something's bothering him and he's try to bury it with food or he's a teenage boy and he's growing and hungry.

My boys are still little, but I have 3 brothers and I remember how much they ate during their teen growing spurts. Unbelievable!!! LoL

I would take him to a doctor and have him checked out. My first thought was a thyroid disorder or diabetes or a sleep disturbance. It may be stress eating that he is embarrassed and ashamed of and doesn't want to do in front of you. The doctor will tell you if it is something to be concerned about. Binging, even on healthy food is not healthy and can lead to other problems down the road.

This may be really obvious, but have you asked him why he's eating at night? If he's tall and skinny, is he trying to bulk up to look better, and he's embarrassed and trying to hide it? Maybe he feels self-conscious about his eating--you know, mom and dad stress healthy eating; why am I eating so much?--and wants to hide it? And,as others have suggested, perhaps there's a problem. I guess I'm thinking his response could tell you a lot. It seems like if you're in his room cleaning up after him in the morning, it's not too much of a secret--he's not hiding the evidence or anything. And, as I think a couple other people said, it seems like healthy food and not junk, so that's a good thing. Good luck!

Hi S.,

There is already a lot of great suggestions. 1st. I would see a Dr. to make sure he doesn't have a medical problem. Diabetis and thyrod are simple blood tests. 2nd. I would talk about the binging/sneaking and tell him its ok to eat when he is hungry, but that eating less food more often would help him digest better. Then I would get him more protien and fiber choices. Meat, cheese, and whole grain crackers are a great snack and fill you up. It would keep him satisfied longer. He is a growing boy and as long as the foods are healthy I would let him eat when needed and don't comment on his food choices. Make your suggestions questions instead of straight comments. Like... would you like me to make you a sandwhich? or a meat and cheese plate.... you can then make them to your healthy satisfaction. The occasional treat is ok too. If you don't make food an issue he will learn to control his own. By eating many small meals his insulin level will stay steady and he will feel more satisfied. Be sure he is drinking lots of water. Many times we eat when we are thirsty. Have him get in the habit of drinking a glass of water after every time he urinates or to drink a glass a water 5 minutes before he eats. I am so much healther since I started doing this. I eat a lot less without realizing it plus I'm not dehydrated and it helps with digestion. I wouldn't worry to much I'm sure he is just growing. I wouldn't allow the sneaking though.... talk to him and ask if there's a reason? Tell him you love him and your worried that he may be upset about something or having a problem. Let him know that you noticed that he is eating at night and that sometimes people eat unconciously when they are upset and you just wanted to talk about it. Is he uncomfortable with his body etc.... if you don't discover an emotional problem and he is just hungery, then tell him that its ok to eat if he is just hungry, but you would like him to keep the food in the kitchen. Good Luck!

Thanks I need this info too!!!My 14 year old has been caught a few times tooo...

actually this sounds like something that is happeneing while he is asleep. i have heard of this before on dr phil.

i would talk to your doctor, and ask for a referral to a sleep specialist. im really assuming that he is totally asleep and cant really stop himself from doing this on his own.

good luck, and above all, have patience, he is not doing this on purpose...

My son will do this as well. In his case, it is OCD tendencies, and he will also hide food in his room to consume later. It ispossible that this is due to a growth spurt or could be him being defiant.
However, it is possible that there could be an underlying medical condition. You might want to take him to the dr to be evaluated. Juvenile diabetes, problems with thyriod, etc. can cause a child to overindulge.
In the mean time, you might want to try selecting several items and placing them in a specific spot for him to munch on. It sounds like you try to make him eat healthy to begin with. Try low calorie filling snacks that you would feel ok with him eating at night. Good luck. N.

We went through similar "binges" with our teenage son. He's just growing. My son was tall and thin too, and would eat incredible amounts of food and huge sandwiches after dinner.I wouldn't worry about the amount he's eating, that will pass eventually, but be careful about trying to control it too much. If you deny them what their bodies are telling them they need you'll end up with much worse behavior that can turn into an eating disorder.

Our daughters hid food all the time, but they were adopted at older ages after having lived in an orphanage where they were deprived of food on a daily basis. They hid food purposefully because subconsciously they were afraid of not having food at some point. We addressed the hiding problem by being more open about allowing them to snack - enforcing a "you can snack but it must be in the kitchen" rule. There were still times the girls would hide food, but for the most part they did much better. I also stopped buying a lot of junk food and kept more fruits and such in the house so they would eat that instead.

We did not restrict what the children could eat (in terms of amounts). They went crazy for a while and then settled down and ate more "reasonably" once they began to understand that they could eat if they were hungry and not worry about getting in trouble for doing it.

Encourage him to eat healthy items - yogurt and fruit is great for him! - when he's hungry and try not to restrict him too much. Try to encourage him to eat 5-6 smaller "meals" a day instead of binging all at once. Remember that's the same advice we're given while we're pregnant, and it's what personal trainers tell their clients to do to help them lose weight and learn to eat better. That will help him properly metabolize what he's eating and help him to not feel like he needs to binge late in the evening.

If he's like most teenage boys he'll get over this binge period only to do it again in a year or two.

I have not read any of the other reasponses but you should probably have him checked for diabeties. He maybe just going threw a major growth spert but it might be a good idea just to get him checked. How does he eat during the day?

This may seem a bit off the wall, but do you know whether or not he has any recollection of having eaten during the night? I'm asking because I've been a sleep eater since my teens. It's unusual, but it does happen. Consider having a sleep study done - your son may not realize, or have only the vaguest recollection, of having been active during the night. It's also possible that he's just going to bed hungry and his willpower fails at night. Note that my family did NOT realize that I was asleep during these episodes. My adult sons characterize my nocturnal conversations as "a little wacky" and chalked them up to me being "half asleep". They were shocked to discover that I had no memory of the encounters.

I have a thirteen year old boy and I wouldn't be worried about the quantity of food but why is he hiding it? They all do hide stuff at this age anyway, but I personally wouldn't want food to be on the list. Communication is key and maybe you guys can work out a deal where he goes shopping with you and you guys talk about what is filling or not and stock the house. We have moved from a balanced nutritious diet to one that is much more heavy on milk (a gallon every few days) and bread (an extra loaf a week). I think you should encourage him to eat and praise him for choosing nutritious foods such as yogurts and bananas. Two yogurts is what my son regularly has for a snack. At this age, the boys are most concerned that you're going to think they're bad or inadequate. Don't give in to that tendency. Be positive and supportive. My son asks me 10 times a day if I love him (not in those words, exactly...:) ) and I've read that is not uncommon. Good luck and enjoy. They're slowly becoming the little men of the future. Let us know how it goes!!!

If your son is tall, thin and active - he is growing and probably needs lots of calories. I have teenage girls who are athletic and they eat ALOT of food. My philosophy has always been to not make an issue of food - I let my kids take some control over what they eat. If they're hungry they eat; if they're not they don't. But, all the teenage boys I know eat TONS of food! I'd say don't worry unless you start to see a dramatic change in his weight or his health.

Have you tried asking your son why he is eating so much?

I have only heard about this kind of behavior in regards to binge eating like you suggested. I would look it up on the internet and see what you can find out. I am sure you have asked him why he is eating so much at night, what is his reason? Sorry I cannot be of much help, I do hope you are able to get answers and help for your son.

Karla..mom to 2 boys one is 12 1/2 and the other is 11 next week. 12 1/2 is a Typical boy and 11 has Angelman Syndrome.

Hi S.,
I would make sure he knows he is eating at night. My brother who was 3 years younger than me would wake up, walk down the steps, and look for or make food. he was also around 13 when this happened. My mom looked into it and the doctor said he'd grow out of it. AFter a few months he stopped waking up and sleep eating/walking. I was even talking to him sometimes and he had no idea the next morning! My brother was also very active with baseball and was growing a ton around that age. I'd just keep healthy snacks around just like you always do.

Sounds like he's going thru a going period. But eating in the middle of the night can be a very bad habit and hard to break. Try giving him bigger portions at all meals w/ mid morn, mid afternoon and before bed snacks (almost an another meal size snack but not quite). This should help w/ his hunger pangs. Almost talk w/ him to see if anything is happening in his life that would upset him. If this continues to be an issue for you, then contact his doctor and discuss the situation thoroughly.

Have you noticed a big change in his shoe size recently? Or have you had to replace pants that are too short all of the sudden? The first sign of puberty in boys is usually and 2 or 3 size change in shoe size seemingly overnight. When that happens, a very big growth spurt happens and they need massive amounts of food to sustain it.

I strongly urge you not to make this an issue. If you "restrict" is food intake, he will have to go around you and food is a silly thing to battle over. There will be plenty of things to fight about in the next few years. Ask him to help you shop for things that he will eat and enjoy. If he will try to eat protein with his snacks, they will be more productive. Fruit will just make him hungrier and empty carbs will never satisfy the real needs of his body. Have some meat and cheese available to put on bread. I always have burritos in the freezer for when they are starving and can't wait for dinner. Boys can put away a lot of groceries, and if he is tall and thin, he probably has a high metabolism too so that will keep him looking for more.

Get on his side with this, don't let it divide you! Don't let food become contraband because it is just not worth it. He will not become overweight at this point in life if he hasn't been so far. Just buy groceries that are OK for him to eat and let him eat as much as he wants.

Hi S., I really wouldn't worry to much about this. i have four boys and three of them have done this. Altough my oldest is the worst. I run a daycare so I have to keep a large amount of snacks available. I believe it is just a phase. We ask him why he does this and he says he doesn't know. I have alot of friends who have had the same issue with their boys starting around the age of 10-12. Another thought that has crossed my mind is medication? My son currently takes concerta. I have often wondered if it is because he medication has worn off and he is hungry in the night??? Then the next day when he takes his meds his hunger is suppressed??? Just keep talking about healthly choices and he will eventually stop....as we all know it is hard to have will power sometimes. Good Luck.

Hi S.,

I think it's just being a teenager. Our son hit age 11 and he started eating more and more.

Right now he's slightly over weight and he can eat a whole pizza. My mom warned me that one day our tiny little boy would some day eat more than his father. That came true at age 11. I was in awe.

I would have a talk to him about hiding his eating habits.
That would cause me to be a little concerned.

Take him in for a physicaljust to be on the safe side. His body is craving this food for a reason.

Good luck.

J.

Maybe you should encourage him to eat more during the day since it is healthier to eat before 6. He might be eating at night because you make him feel uncomfortable about eating in front of you. Eating 3 bananas and yogurt is still pretty healthy. I have 7 yr old twin boys who go through growing spurts and eat that much at 7! They are also tall and thin and sometimes won't eat as much, but I try to keep it healthy, they love fruit. Let them stock up! If he fills up earlier maybe he will be less likely to fill up at night. I let my kids eat lots during the day and restrict to one snack after 8. Hope this helps.
Working mom of twin growing boys!