Thread: nutrition for children?

I have a 14 year old son who is about 5" 5 and would like to know approx how many calories per day he should have as he is getting into exercise which is great but he wants to diet and i keep telling him that he does not need to diet as he is a healthy weight and that he should just be eating healthy balanced meals instead.

Take him to see a doctor and have a medical professional explain it all to him. You will be able to get some advice on what sort of things will be best for him to eat. The doctor can also help him with his body image by explaining what a good weight is as well as helping him understand the fact he's still young and growing and his body is changing and will continue to change for the next few years. If he keeps thinking he's too heavy, then try asking him why he thinks he's fat and going from there - maybe an appointment with a counsellor would help him understand the concept of body image and individuality if he won't listen to you???

It's really good that you're so supportive of your son! Good luck.