Appetite loss

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Appetite loss

In children

If your youngster seems to have lost his appetite, then it may be as simple as they are not growing fast at that point in time, they may not want or need as much food. Don't force them to eat. Give him as much as he wants at mealtimes, but cut down on snacks between meals the child will start to eat when he gets hungry. If there is any weight loss or tummy pains then you should seek medical advice..

Teenagers and adults

Check that you're getting the recommended daily dose of B vitamins, which help important enzymes to function. Cut out all caffeine (found in coffee, tea, chocolate and soft drinks), which is an appetite suppressant.

It is said that you should try to eat quickly. This will bypass the signal from the brain that tells you are full 20 minutes after starting to eat.

See a doctor if symptoms persist. Loss of appetite may be caused by illness. Prolonged appetite loss in a teenage girl, particularly if periods stop, could be anorexia nervosa, a serious disorder that requires a doctor's care.

Elderly people

At about the age of 65, many people lose some sense of taste and smell, and their appetite suffers. Try stimulating it with a variety of strongly flavoured foods, such as curry or chili con carne. Vary the texture, colour and temperature of your food, this may compensate for the lack of strong flavour.

Savor each bite. Chewing slowly and moving the food around in the mouth before swallowing increases contact with the taste buds and, through the hack of the mouth, with smell receptors in the nose.

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Last update 25th Sept 2006