Girl's aged 11/15 years skipping meals; and at school, why?

No doubt the pressure from their peers has a lot to do with it but why can't they be more confident about themselve's and/or about their body?

How can you help them?

Firstly, whilst certainly not qualified in anyway, I think you mustn't duck the issue. Put food in front of them even if they only take one small mouthful each time, and make sure they drink plenty because they will soon become dehydrated if they don't get enough fluids.

I say don't be afraid to discuss their food likes and dislikes as a family, but has anybody else got any input for what after all could turn into a serious condition? Maybe we have members of the medical profession who might like to comment?

Difficult one, most seem to say, when asked why they don't eat   'because i don't want to', or 'don't feel like anything'   the real reasons can be quite deep seated, and as we only really get them for 20 mins, its not long enough to open that can of worms, and to be honest may not help even if we did.

I think probably a lot do it due to peer pressure, children of that age live in a different world to us adults usually, remember back, everything seems very different, you think different, act different etc.. peer pressure is a very real thing, it means acceptance into the group (tribe) which is so important to that age group. So maybe the kid that lacks a little self confidence will do anything to get in with the crowd, even if it does the opposite!

Obviously sometimes other forces are at work, such as abuse etc... i would imagine this would be the hardest one to crack, as many of these kids are screaming inside!

I think maybe a lot of it, as always seems the way, is down to attention? we all need attention and love to get through, and without both we start coming off the tracks a little.

I was told by my pediatrician not to force the kids to eat. They eat when they are hungry. If you nag them about it they will become stressed even more. The time to get worried is if you see the child losing weight rapidly. Then it is time to call the doctor. Lots of kids go through this stage. Their bodies tell them when it is time to eat. If you force food you can also make them overweight eventually. I went through this with my daughter. She still eats very little but she has no activity at all so she doesn't need much. 

One reason why the world is becoming overweight is eating when you are not hungry or too large portions and stuffing yourself. Some people even eat due to the stress. It is a comfort and almost like an addiction. 

I have to agree with Jason on this one. There are so many factors involved ranging from peer pressure, to the media, and even other young girls vying with each other for supremacy in the eyes of others. It becomes a control issue too, control over their bodies, control over their parents, etc.

The food issue is an ancient war and the battle ground is young girls lives.

Cathy makes a good point too. Food equals comfort for most of us. Think about it, we use the term "comfort food" to refer to that which warms, envelopes, and soothes us. Emotional eating is a real problem for many people, not just young girls.

I am not sure what the answers are but I suspect it lies to some degree with addressing the under-currents of self esteem.