Dear Dr. Archer,
I'm worried about my 15-year-old son. He says he is worried about gaining weight, but he is very thin.
Now that he knows I'm concerned, he is eating more, but still just about half of his meal, and then he tells me he is full and his stomach hurts. Can boys have an eating disorder and what should I do?
Jana
Hi Jana,
Yes, boys and men can have eating disorders even though it is more common in girls and women. The fact that your son is worried about gaining weight when he is actually very thin is concerning.
The good news is that now that he knows you are worried he is attempting to eat more. My advice is to continue working with him, make sure that you focus on foods that he enjoys and likes to eat and follow the situation closely.
If you don't continue to see positive results over the next several months then a psychiatric evaluation may be indicated. Good luck.
Dr. Archer
Readers,
Do you have something to add to this very realistic concern of Jana? This is an important subject, made all the more difficult by the stigma that society puts on body image.
Dr. Archer
