How much should a 10 yo boy eat??

[Birdwinglips]

Ok, my son is 10 1/2. He is on the 'husky' side. He is only about 47 inches tall and weighs 100lbs. BUT he has a disability which limits his calorie burning. Folks with his disability tend to run on the heavy side as adults if they are not careful, further limiting their mobility.

 

I am wondering how much 'typical' 10 yo boys eat? I know growth spurts affect things, as well as meds, but for those of you at a typical point in growth with your boys, I need your input. For example, tonight I made breakfast for dinner. Before dinner he munched on some Baked Lays (a handful) and some cashews. I then let him have about 20 Cheese Nips as dinner was running late and he'd had no afternoon snack. For dinner he had 2 egg burritos with cheese, a sausage patty, grapes and a string cheese. He had a Dove mini choc. for dessert.

 

He is now complaining that he is still hungry. I always ask him to wait 20 mins to be sure. If he is still hungry I will give him fruit, yogurt or string cheese, etc. I won't let him have any more carbs after dinner if I can help it.

 

Anyhow, is this a lot for a 10yo boy or normal range? His 9 yo sis had the same dinner but only one burrito and is full.

[Ria]

It sounds like a lot to me, but I'm not sure we are the right ones to ask. If I were you I'd talk to his doctor about how many calories he feels your son should consume per day, given his disability, etc. The doctor will be able to give you much better information than people who don't understand the specifics.

[abbeyej]

It sounds like a lot to me. Probably twice what my 12yo would eat. But given the complexity of the situation, I really think a *good* (and, unfortunately, there are a wide range of them) dietician / nutritionist would be helpful.

[mandiana]

My girls, who are 60-63 inches tall, between 100 and 118 pounds, and are in BJJ classes 4 times per week eat 5 or 6 times a day. They have 3 planned meals and 2 planned snacks everyday. For each meal they have 1 carb(1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 ounce cereal, etc.), 2 protein/dairy(1 oz nuts, 1/2 cup beans or tofu, 8oz milk or yogurt, etc.), 1 fruit and 1 vegetable. Their snacks are half that. Then, almost every day day they end up having junk food or something extra ... like 2 servings of sugar-free ice cream, a candy bar, a small bag of chips, a soda, or a cereal bowl size of popcorn, or a couple slices of pizza. The extra food isn't planned, it's just life. It seems like every day, something happens... they're "starving", dh brings home ice cream, somebody brings fun food to a homeschool gathering, etc.

[Dobela]

I would ask your doctor. My son is 11, is 5 ft 5, and weighs 150 pounds. Slightly husky but not much because he is also very active. I think all of his weight is in those men's size 12 feet of his (gulp!). He would be starving after your son's meal in about 20 minutes as well. When he is hungry though I limit it to low cal, low fat snacks - mostly fruit. Cheese is pretty high calorie so I make him lay off that. I also make him drink a glass of water first. Sometimes he is just thirsty but is interpreting it as hunger.

[Trish]

It does sound like a lot. But, when I give them enough and they're "still hungry," then I offer them fruit.

[Cosmos]

The dinner quantity sounds about like what my 11yo would eat. He's normal weight and height. The snacks seem like a lot, though. My ds doesn't snack a lot, maybe a handful of nuts in mid-afternoon.

 

I would also encourage a greater proportion of fruits and vegetables, especially in the snacks. At our house, if you need a little something to help you hang on until dinner, then carrots or apple slices would be the first choice, not chips and crackers.

[Desert Rat]

He is 5' and weighs about 95 lbs.

 

Breakfast:

1 c. raisin bran/rice krispies/oatmeal with milk.

6 oz. orange juice

 

Snack: 6 oz. yogurt

 

Lunch:

1/2 sandwich-lunch meat, tuna, pbj

piece of fruit

carrot sticks

milk

 

snack:

1/2 c. chex mix or

pb/pretzels

 

dinner:

6 oz. protein (chicken, fish, beef)

1 slice of bread or equivalent

1/2 c. salad or carrots (he's picky)

milk

 

We drink water only between meals. If we're outside a lot he gets gatorade.

He is very physically active-taekwondo 3x a week. Outside playing on the tramp every day.

My 8 yo is a bit different. He's stockier by nature but eats the same as the above. I have to watch his carbs. He's a carboholic (like his mom).

 

I don't know if your son eats too much, but I thought by looking at what other similar ages eat, you could get a better idea and figure out a normal.

HTH

[Joyofsixreboot]

It can vary so much from kid to kid. I have a 10 yo. He ate a salad, 5 pieces of pizza and ice cream for dinner and is now having popcorn. His older siblings ate pretty much the same. He's always hungry. Always. He, however, has the opposite problem from your son as he is thin. (48 in, 64 lb)Your son has special considerations. I would push the fruits, veggies or broth soups to fill him up nutritiously without too many calories.

Edited September 26, 2011 by joyofsix

[wapiti]

I'd ask the ped, or ask the ped to send you to a nutritionist or other specialist. At that height/weight combination, I'd have concerns, particularly when you already know there's the disability issue to be concerned about.

[foxbridgeacademy]

My 10 y.o. eats more then most adults, he's not heavy (not thin either) has no medical issues either. I do not let him snack prior to dinner, especially empty carbs. Carbs without fiber make you hungry. If he just has to have a snack give him veggies, or whole grains. He will then eat enough at dinner to feel full longer.

[EmilyK]

I think so much must be kid-dependent. That's what my 9 year old would eat, but much more than my 12 year old would.

 

I got some advice from a naturopath that I have been trying to follow. Really reduce the amount of bread, pasta etc and increase vegetables and fruit. The doctor had me keep a week-long log of food, and even knowing it was going to be reviewed, I fed a lot of bread, bagels, pasta to the kids -- easy to fix, grab and go. My kids are on the skinny side but his point was that is was unhealthy regardless of weight. I wish I could remember the precentages he recommended. It was like half of one's diet should be fruits and vegetables, and the rest should be a mix of protein and healthy fat like nuts and fish oil.

[Jan in SC]

Today, my ten year old son has had two scrambled eggs(ate most), a piece of toast, a turkey sandwich on a water roll, an apple, a nutella sandwich(snack),

two pieces of pizza with sprite. He normally only drinks water, and he had a lot of bread today with our pizza and football night. He is 54" and 60lbs. We are trying to get weight to stay on him, but he has baseball practice a couple of hours a night, so he is very lean.

[texasmama]

The foods you describe in your OP are pretty carb heavy. I think it is fine to limit the burrito to one rather than two and increase the amount of fruit.

 

I have an almost 11 year old son who is 5'1" tall and weighs about 105. He is about average in build. He can pack some food away, but I would say that he doesn't eat as much as your son. If dinner runs late, I cut him up an apple with the peel on. That takes a long time to eat without being high calorie, in addition to being high in nutrients.

[twoforjoy]

I'd look at Ellyn Satter's advice about child feeding. If you are providing your child with a variety of healthy foods, I personally think that allowing them to eat as much or as little of that food as they want is probably the best way to go, long term. Calorie restriction, especially when imposed by a parent, can lead to long-term issues with food and in many cases will not lead to better health or even permanent weight loss.

 

The internet, FWIW, is the LAST place I'd go to ask about my child's eating habits, because everybody on the internet has a child who only eats small portions of whole-grain and organic foods and maybe some lean meat from animals they only eats whole-grain and organic foods and that they slaughtered themselves.

Edited September 26, 2011 by twoforjoy

[Mynyel]

My son is 9 but will be 10 in a few months. He couldn't eat half of what you described unless he skipped lunch.

 

I agree with other posters to lay off the cheese and the potato chips. Try giving him a bit more protein and maybe breaking up the meals. Have him eat half of what he thinks he can eat then wait an hour and see if he wants more.

 

I test my kids when they say they are hungry. I keep fruit and yogurt in the house pretty much all the time. They say "I am hungry" I tick off what they can eat. "OK we have yogurt, grapes, strawberries, bananas and carrot sticks. Take your pick." If they are hungry they go for it, if not then they don't and wait for the meal. At 10 he should be able to wait for a meal. If he has a snack before hand then that means less food at dinner.

 

I also agree with the water. I try to drink a full glass of water before eating so I don't eat as much. :)

 

If you are concerned it is all about intake and expenditure. He needs to take in as many calories as he burns to maintain. Intake less than he burns to lose.

 

A dietician might be able to help, but do your homework too :)

[twoforjoy]

If you are concerned it is all about intake and expenditure. He needs to take in as many calories as he burns to maintain. Intake less than he burns to lose.

 

The problem is that the human body is not that straightforward. Many people have a set point for their body weight. If you decrease their calorie intake, their body will slow down so that it will burn fewer calories. And if they can't maintain a calorie intake that low comfortably, then when they up their calories to a comfortable level, they'll gain weight.

 

I'd suggest focusing on health, not weight.

[joannqn]

My 9 1/2 year old is 52 inches tall (the last time I checked) and 93 pounds. He's right on the edge of obese, as are DH and I, so I'm working on our diets all around. Our weight issues come from years of eating very little fruit and veggies, eating too much junk food, and eating too much high calorie dinners, so I'm working on all three of those issues.

 

I looked up calorie needs to school-age children and they very similar to mine, so I now dish of DH's, DD11's, DS9's, and my plates the same. A good day for us would look like the following and typically satisfies us pretty well:

 

Breakfast

1/2 cup Scrambled Eggs

2-3 servings of fruit (ie. cup of cubed cantelope, handful of grapes, and half a banana)

 

Lunch

Turkey Cheese Sandwich

2-3 servings of fruit (2-3 kinds)

 

Dinner

3-4 oz lean meat

1/2 cup starch (potatoes, rice, pasta)

2-3 servings cooked veggies (green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc)

Maybe some salad (lettuce, tomato, grated carrots, diced cucumber...nothing but veggies and a little dressing)

 

Dessert

1 serving (ie. 2x2 brownie or 1/2 cup ice cream or one skinny cow bar)

 

We don't normally eat snacks, but fruit, a slice or cheese, or 8oz of chocolate milk would be what we'd grab if one is needed. We typically drink water at all meals though I occasionally serve something else as a treat.

 

Scrambled Eggs: I add about 2 tablespoons of finely diced onions, 3/4 cups of finely cut spinach, and 2 oz of finely ground cooked sausage* to a tablespoon of olive oil. When the onions are soft and spinach starting to wilt, I add 7 or 8 scrambled eggs (depending on their size), salt and pepper to taste, and cook until done. If lunch and dinner are on the light side, I'll add one ounce of shredded cheddar cheese. Each person gets 1/2 cup of eggs.

 

Turkey Sandwich: Two slices of whole wheat bread, 1 serving of turkey (usually a slice on the kind we buy), 1 thin slide of cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salt and pepper, mustard. Sometimes I'll add a small amount of mayo.

 

*I cook up a pound of sausage and then run it through the blender to break it up really well...this allows me to spread the flavor throughout the eggs w/o adding a lot of fat/calories. A pound of sausage lasts us a week.

[Birdwinglips]

OK, I just realized I was so tired I thought I had written 4'7" but actually posted 47 inches. He is actually somewhere between 4 foot 5 and 7 inches. We can't get an exact measurement as he feet are fixed in a toe down position.

 

Thank you all for the info. on your boys. I do have a referral to a dietician on base from the ped. I have yet to call and make the appt. as we have been very busy. You all have encouraged me to get on the horn asap.

 

The boy does LOVE his carbs. I keep telling myself I am not going to buy them....but then keep doing it. My biggest problem is that my entire life I could eat whatever I wanted and never gain a pound (not so much anymore). I struggle because I never learned to cook healthier and have a hard time finding recipes that are low carb that the family will eat. I was told diabetic cook books are great resources but the recipes don't look like something the family will eat.

 

Looking forward now to seeing the dietician for some accountability.

[joannqn]

Deciding to change our eating habits was the hardest part. Once I switched, my bigger kids and the adults found that they preferred the new food. However, if I'm not careful, we revert or overeat.

 

I think when DS says he's still hungry, what he really means is "That was really good! I want to eat some more of it." We've found that we simply have to tell him no. If he's still hungry 20 minutes later, he can have a small amount of dinner or a small snack. I don't have to regulate my skinny DD this way; she self-regulates really well and rarely eats more of even the yummiest foods if she's not actually hungry.

[Paige]

How much is he drinking? Maybe he isn't feeling full because he's not drinking enough.

[Starr]

If dinner is running late I offer fruit or veggies. When they were little I just figured it would be part of dinner since they wouldn't eat so much once the food was cooked. As they've gotten older it helps with a healthier diet.

[KungFuPanda]

You probably need advice specific to your son's disability. My son is very overweight too. He's 11 and weighs 90 lbs. He takes steroids and no longer walks, so an increased appetite and lack of mobility limit him. We NEED to improve, but right now we try to limit his empty calories and carbs, and get him in the pool where he CAN walk.

 

Have you tried a bulletin board specific to your son's disability? It might help to get advice from folks who are successfully controlling the weight. Also, your specialist may have a diagnosis-specific nutritionist on staff to help the families managing this issue.

[Shellydon]

Ok, my son is 10 1/2. He is on the 'husky' side. He is only about 47 inches tall and weighs 100lbs. BUT he has a disability which limits his calorie burning. Folks with his disability tend to run on the heavy side as adults if they are not careful, further limiting their mobility.

 

I am wondering how much 'typical' 10 yo boys eat? I know growth spurts affect things, as well as meds, but for those of you at a typical point in growth with your boys, I need your input. For example, tonight I made breakfast for dinner. Before dinner he munched on some Baked Lays (a handful) and some cashews. I then let him have about 20 Cheese Nips as dinner was running late and he'd had no afternoon snack. For dinner he had 2 egg burritos with cheese, a sausage patty, grapes and a string cheese. He had a Dove mini choc. for dessert.

 

He is now complaining that he is still hungry. I always ask him to wait 20 mins to be sure. If he is still hungry I will give him fruit, yogurt or string cheese, etc. I won't let him have any more carbs after dinner if I can help it.

 

Anyhow, is this a lot for a 10yo boy or normal range? His 9 yo sis had the same dinner but only one burrito and is full.

 

I just wanted to point out that most fruit is high in carbs. A single banana is around 35grams. A serving of yogurt is high in carbs as well. If you are looking at limiting carbs after dinner, veggies and cheese would be good.

[ElizaG]

Here's something I found helpful in trying to understand this.

 

Protein, vitamin, and mineral needs are pretty much constant from one child to the next. By contrast, energy (calorie) requirements vary tremendously depending on activity level.

 

What this means, effectively, is that very active people can typically get away with eating some "empty calories" in the context of an overall healthy diet. They're eating enough nutritious food to meet their protein and micronutrient requirements, and the additional processed fats and refined carbohydrates are burned off as fuel for exercise. (Not to say it's a great idea for them to eat junk food, but it's unlikely to make them overweight.)

 

Sedentary people typically can't do this. If they reduce their overall food intake but still keep the chips and white bread, they're going to feel hungry because their body really does need more nutrients. They need to make every meal and snack count, nutritionally speaking. This doesn't necessarily mean restricting fats and carbohydrates per se, but it does mean that the refined ones will probably need to be kept to a very occasional treat, at the most.

Edited September 26, 2011 by Eleanor

[musicmommy]

I definitely would work with a dietician with him. My 11 yo ds eats constantly, but he is only 72 pounds and 5'4". Super skinny so we don't really limit anything he eats yet. That does sound about what he would eat though.

[Laura Corin]

It depends what he is eating as well as the quantity. That's an awful lot of fat and not much bulk - he may well not feel full.

 

A typical day for Hobbes (small and slim):

 

Breakfast: whole grain cereal, fruit, orange juice

 

Lunch: Ham sandwich with lots of raw veg on the side, or veggie soup with whole grain bread on the side

 

Supper: pan-fried fish with boiled potatoes and lots of veg.

 

Snacks are mostly whole-grain crackers or fruit. He has a couple of cookies a day and one piece of candy.

 

He eats enormous quantities, but it's all good, balanced stuff.

 

Laura

[Lolly]

There is no typical. I'll throw my kids in to tip the scales for you. At ten, all 4 of mine would have eaten at least as much as your ds. They would have all been quite hungry an hour later. Most likely, that sausage patty would have been 3 not one. A really large bag of grapes doesn't take us through but one meal and it's gone. The burritos? How much egg is in one? My kids would normally consume 3 eggs apiece in a meal (yes, along with 2 or 3 sausage patties or about 5 or 6 strips of thick cut bacon). Sandwiches, you say? Unless that meat is piled high, count on two being necessary. (Subway 12 inches by age 8.) I figure half a pizza for each when ordering. Sometimes, that isn't enough.

 

Sizes? At ten, two super skinny (people asked if they were anorexic) and two softly padded. The one softly padded dd at 17 is curvy but thin. The boy is still growing and softly padded. The super skinnies are still super skinnies. Other than curvy dd, they consume more food than you would think humanly possible. We eat a wide variety of foods, but mostly protein.

[SeekingHim77]

If the kids are hungry and it's almost meal time or if it hasn't been that long since they last ate, I offer them a fruit or veggie. If they are really hungry, they'll jump on it. If not, they'll choose to wait for the next meal. I have a really tall, skinny son and he always wants to eat 2 sandwiches or double helpings of the main dish but I make him eat a fruit or veggie after the first one and he usually stops after that. He will always eat crackers, chips, desserts, pizza until he's overly full if I offer those types of food. We just don't keep them in the house. I do buy him his own pizza when we have that for dinner though (which is once a month or so). He eats almost the whole thing. Of course he is 16 and 6"3'. :001_smile:

 

Offering fruits or veggies when I don't think they are really hungry-just wanting to snack, really keeps overeating in check around here-both for the kiddos and myself!

[bettyandbob]

My ds is 10 and has down syndrome. He is on the heavy side. The amount of food you have described is more than anyone in my family would eat with the exception of my 16 yo 6 foot tall son. Most of us are pretty active, but we are not thin (some of us are within medically recommended weight guidelines and some of us are overweight, but not medically obese).

 

I'd back off the potato and grain based carbs. You should shoot for a majority of carbs coming from fruits and vegetables. So, my pre dinner snack would have been a sliced apple. I also have baby carrots and celery sticks. I try to make sure ds has water with everything he eats, because he doesn't always ask.

 

My ds does eat a fair amount of tortilla chips. dh got in the habit of passing out bowls and bowls of chips. I've gotten dh to cut in half the amount of chips he purchases and give ds a lot less.

 

Nuts are a great food if you aren't allergic and eat in moderation. The cashews you gave your ds before dinner probably significantly added to the calorie and fat count.