My daughter...?

Question

My daughter is fifteen years old, and is 5'8". She weighs 147 lbs, and she has stopped eating. She calls herself fat constantly, and I just don't know what to do. She says she eats at school, but I really don't think she does. How much should someone of her height and age weigh?

Answer 1

Ideal weight for a female is 105 pounds for the first 5 feet, then add 5 pounds for each addition inch.

So Ideally 145 pounds. Then take into consideration her bone structure. Add 10% for large frame and subtract 10% for a small frame. So.....

Ideal weight would be anywhere between
130 to 160 depending on how she's built.

Answer 2

It does depend a lot on her body type- but I might understand her dilemma. I am 5’8 and weigh 145- When I was 15 I was 5’7 and weighed 127. I ate well then, and was healthy. My doctor never told me I was too skinny, etc. So, now… in my 20’s that extra almost 20 pounds is probably normal and healthy, but in my mind I see it as fat because I knew what I could look like. I really know that I am still thin, but I am “fat for me”. You can’t help but see these “perfect” bodies all over the media and think- compared to that I *am* fat BUT to be only 20 pounds away from it- well that’s just frustrating (not that I try- heh). So, she may have a different mindset all together, but I thought I would share my personal perspective. She certainly isn’t fat, she is very healthy. I do understand that even thin girls feel the pressure to fit this outlandish standard. If she is not eating- that is a big problem. Please make sure she gets help before developing an eating disorder. The pressure is unbelievable these days, but she needs to understand the life threatening consequences of perusing this false image of perfection.

Answer 3

She is actually at a very good weight, but that's totally not the issue. The issue is that she THINKS she's fat and has curtailed her eating. As I'm sure you've noticed, most of the girls her age at school are probably waif thin and look nearly heroin chic. This would look like the norm to her. It's also an age when there are issues of control. That's really at the heart of the problem. There is a potential for an eating disorder here, and the issue must be addressed whether she wants to talk about it or not. If you do not see her eat at all, and you seriously do not believe she is eating at school, do not be afraid to take steps to find out if she is or isn't. Call the school. Ask what teachers have lunch duty at the period she has lunch. Put in a call to one of those teachers. Confide your concerns and ask them to make particular note if your daughter is eating or not. Call back in a week to see what they have observed. An eating disorder can be potentially life threatening if it reaches that proportion, so you need to react as vigilantly as if you believed your daughter was on drugs or doing some other self-destructive behavior. Her safety is all that matters. Let that be your guiding principle until you are certain there's no problem. I do hope she does not have an eating disorder. If you suspect she really does, please go talk to your family physician to get some professional guidance about how to proceed. Good luck to you.

Answer 4

For her age and height, she's definitely at a good weight. If I were you, I would focus on helping her through whatever self esteem issues she's currently suffering from. Make sure that she knows that fasting isn't a good way to lose unwanted weight, and can result in the body storing more fat than it did beforehand. Suggest that she try eating healthy foods instead if she really feels she needs to take off a bit of weight, but emphasize the fact that she's just fine the way she is. That's one of the most important things that you can do.

Answer 5

I was the same way as your daughter when I was 15. I didn't get the help I needed and got to my lowest weight at 17 5'9" and 93lbs. Some teens grow out of it, but many don't. I still struggle with it to this day along with other things too. Please help her and take her to a counselor. I know I pushed my parents away and they stopped but them stopping just made me feel like I wasn't worth them helping fix me, even though I acted like I did not want it, I wish they would have continued. You need to help stop the thought process but in a loving and gentle way or it will continue to spiral downward, and be aware of hiding to not eat.
If she continues down this path it will turn into Anorexia.

Anorexia is not only about food. It is my mechanism to cope with emotional traumas and tough life situations (such as school). I am trapped in a world of pain, and my wounds will never heal. I have not been able to recover. Anorexia kills.
Eating disorders will not make you feel thin, proud and beautiful. Every day is a constant struggle of self-hatred and obsessing about food, calories and weight. It takes on a life of its own.
Here are a couple sites for you to visit. Warning the first is a pro-Ana or for anorexia it's just to help you know where her behavior can lead.

http://www.pro-ana-nation.com/v1/index.php
http://www.mamashealth.com/anorexia.asp
http://familydoctor.org/063.xml
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=7409

Answer 6

you may want to ask her doctors and have him/her to check her out because if she is just starting this she may be insecure or having trouble at school with her weight and you would want to address this matter before it excludes into anorexia. Has for her height she should be around 130lbs but that not adding her bone structure and so forth. Well Good luck.

Answer 7

Have a look at the sites about body mass index

I put your numbers into the child/teen calculator giving her a birthday in 1991 and she gets a BMI of 22.4 - she is in the healthy weight range

Answer 8

shes probly only feeling this way because she is a teenager and alot of toher girls she sees may be alot skinner this could make her feel upset and self-concious...she shuld just walk regularly drink aot of watre and eat healthy....she sounds like shes a perfect weight for her height anyways :)
just tell her that shes beautiful the way she is cause no one else can ever look like her :) or try getting her some nice clothes that make her figure look nice

Answer 9

There is a range on a chart that the school nurse would have. Call her and express your concerns and ask what the range is on her health chart.

Answer 10

your daughter is normal for her age and hight. get her help.... NOW