There are several reasons why your child may seem always hungry. Is something wrong with his health? Is he not eating properly at mealtimes? Is food an emotional augmentation for some deep-seated psychological problem? It is important to find out exactly why a child seems hungry so that he can develop healthy food habits.
Reason 1
The child may be really hungry! Children vary in the ages when they have a period of rapid growth. Your child may be passing through that phase. If the growth rate is rapid, it is important he be fed nutritious, filling and well balanced meals to compensate for the energy spent in the sudden increase of his height and weight. However, keep a watch on his weight to ensure that he is neither overfed nor underfed.
Reason 2
Children use up the food converted into energy almost as soon as they digest it! That is why they seem so hungry sometimes. Little children cannot be persuaded to eat a lot in order to have enough energy for their highly active nature. It is important to plan smaller healthy meals on a more frequent basis to help them feel comfortably full. Always encourage them to eat as much as they can but do not force them to eat more than that.
Reason 3
When children have expended energy, they get tired. Quite often, children want to eat some more to feel energized. If they have been fed well, then ensure that they get enough sleep to ward off tiredness, rather than allowing them to snack unhealthily.
Reason 4
Adolescence is one such period of rapid growth. It is seen that all young adults (especially boys) need to feed really well to keep up with their physiological development. Adolescent children can eat bigger meals that are more spaced out than the younger children, but they too look out for a couple of extra snacks through the day.
Reason 5
Children whose diet comprises of a lot of refined or simple carbohydrates (like white bread and sweeteners) tend to feel hungry sooner. This is due to the fact that the glycemic index (a measure of the effect of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels) rises, and then falls. As it falls, hunger is felt. If you feed them high protein meals along with complex carbohydrates, they are retained longer.
Reason 6
If the child is passing through an emotionally turbulent phase, he may turn to food for solace. It is important to see that he eats healthily without overdoing it. You may need the help of a professional care giver to help the child tide over this problem.
Reason 7
Is your child hungry or thirsty? “Mom, what can I have now?” is a common enough refrain. Give him a glass of fruit juice or milk initially. If that satisfies him, you will know he was more thirsty than hungry.
Reason 8
The addiction to chocolates and sweets make the children hungrier. Children reaching for that packet of wafers, while watching TV or holding a chocolate bar in one hand and writing their homework with the other are common sights in many households. To counter this you have to firmly shun these kinds of snacks and replenish your kitchen/fridge with healthy, yet tasty snacks.
Tips to help a child to snack healthy
- Fill the kitchen with tasty and healthy snacks including dry fruits like almonds, raisins, dates and apricots
- Always keep a bowl of fruits ready for him
- Stock your fridge with healthy fruit juices, cheese, soy milk and yogurt
- Cut vegetables in interesting shapes to make him want to eat them
- Reward and praise him when his way of snacking becomes healthier
Blurb: Some children always seem hungry and there are some very valid reasons for this. They feel extra hungry when they are growing up at a rapid rate or even when they are not eating the right type of foods. It is important to identify the reason behind the insatiable hunger and set it right by making sensible and healthier choices for their meals.