As children grow into energetic, curious, and sometimes overwhelmed adolescents, their relationship with food becomes an important part of their day-to-day experience. In school environments, where academic pressure, peer interactions, sports, and emotional changes come together, eating habits often reflect how students are coping internally. As a student counsellor, I frequently see how small shifts in eating patterns can reveal much about a child’s physical and emotional well-being.

Skipping Meals and Snacking Patterns in Students

One of the most common patterns we notice in school-aged students is the tendency to skip meals, especially breakfast. Mornings can be hectic, and appetite can be unpredictable, but regularly skipping meals often results in low energy, irritability, and a dip in concentration. Students themselves often describe feeling “foggy” or easily frustrated when they start the day without fuelling their bodies.

On the other end of the spectrum, some students turn to frequent snacking throughout the day. Though snacking is not inherently unhealthy, when it replaces full meals or becomes a response to stress, it can affect mood and make sustained focus more difficult.

Emotional Eating During Stress and Academic Pressure

Another emerging pattern is emotional eating. Many students eat more when stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, particularly around examinations, deadlines, or social pressures. Food becomes a quick comfort, a momentary distraction, or even a reward. While this is a natural coping mechanism, it sometimes leaves them feeling guilty or uncomfortable afterwards, creating an unhealthy cycle. These feelings can be subtle and internalised, and children may not always know how to verbalise them.

The Impact of Body Image Awareness on Eating Behaviour

Body image awareness also becomes pronounced in middle and high school. Students may compare themselves with peers or idealised images they see online, which can influence the way they eat, sometimes restricting food intake, sometimes overthinking choices, and sometimes feeling pressured to “look a certain way.” Adolescence is already a phase of rapid physical growth and emotional sensitivity, so added pressure around food and appearance can impact their confidence and stress levels.

How Parents Can Support Balanced Eating

Parents play a powerful role in helping children build a balanced, healthy relationship with food. Creating calm, predictable mealtime routines can make a significant difference, as can modelling balanced eating habits without labelling foods as “good” or “bad.”

Encouraging children to listen to their hunger cues, involving them in simple meal planning, and sharing relaxed, tech-free mealtimes help nurture not just healthy eating but strong emotional connections. One of the most meaningful things parents can do is keep the conversation open and warm, asking children how they are feeling rather than focusing solely on what or how much they are eating.

As a school, Oakridge International School, Visakhapatnam, strives to support students in forming healthy patterns through awareness and gentle guidance. In recognition of Eating Disorders Awareness Week (Feb 23 – March 1), the Well Being Club students, under the guidance of the student counsellor and psychology facilitator, conducted a survey across middle and high school students to understand eating habits and their influence on student well-being. The findings reinforce how important it is for us, as educators, parents, and caregivers to approach food, body image, and wellness with empathy, understanding, and mindful support.

Ms. Bhavya Lanka
Student Counsellor