do you think my sister is anorexic?

Your sister's BMI is 17. A healthy BMI for most people would be between 18.5 and 25. So a BMI of 17 is mildly underweight. The ideal weight for her height would be about 61kg (135lb), but anywhere from 54kg (119lb) and 72kg (159lb) is within the healthy range.

However the BMI can sometimes be inaccurate for people under the age of 18 as they are not yet fully grown. It's common for many people younger than 18 to have a BMI lower than 18.5. Your sister is only 15 so there is still time for her to fill out more and gain some weight.

It's difficult to tell if she is anorexic simply based on her height and weight. This is because some people can be naturally thin and perfectly healthy, while other people might be naturally curvy and perfectly healthy.

Maybe she is naturally very slim. If she has never been more than 49kg then there might not be a problem and she is most likely naturally slim. But if she used to weigh more than 49kg and had lost a significant amount of weight, then she could have an eating disorder of some sort.

Anorexics generally exhibit specific behaviours. I'll give you a few examples:

Dieting despite being thin – Follows a severely restricted diet. Eats only certain low-calorie foods. Bans “bad” foods such as carbohydrates and fats.

Obsession with calories, fat grams, and nutrition – Reads food labels, measures and weighs portions, keeps a food diary, reads diet books.

Pretending to eat or lying about eating – Hides, plays with, or throws away food to avoid eating. Makes excuses to get out of meals (“I had a huge lunch” or “My stomach isn’t feeling good.”).

Preoccupation with food – Eats very little, but constantly thinks about food. May cook for others, collect recipes, read food magazines, or make meal plans.

Strange or secretive food rituals – Often refuses to eat around others or in public places. May eat in rigid, ritualistic ways (e.g. cutting food “just so”, chewing food and spitting it out, using a specific plate).

Dramatic weight loss – Rapid, drastic weight loss with no medical cause.

Feeling fat, despite being underweight – May complain about being overweight in general or just “too fat” in certain places such as the stomach, hips, or thighs.

Fixation on body image – Obsessed with weight, body shape, or clothing size. Frequent weigh-ins and concern over tiny fluctuations in weight.

Harshly critical of appearance – Spends a lot of time in front of the mirror checking for flaws. There’s always something to criticize. They’re never thin enough.

Denies being too thin – Refuses to believe that his or her low body weight is a problem, but may try to conceal it (drinking a lot of water before being weighed, wearing baggy or oversized clothes).

Using diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics – Abuses water pills, herbal appetite suppressants, prescription stimulants, ipecac syrup, and other drugs for weight loss.

Throwing up after eating – Frequently disappears after meals or goes to the bathroom. May run the water to disguise sounds of vomiting or reappear smelling like mouthwash or mints.

Compulsive exercising – Follows a punishing exercise regimen aimed at burning calories. Will exercise through injuries, illness, and bad weather. Works out extra hard after bingeing or eating something “bad.”

Try and pay attention to your sister a bit more closely. If you think any of these behaviours are present then she could be anorexic. You and your family should deal with any suspect problems sooner rather than later as they may worsen over time and full blown anorexia could result.

But like I said there might not be a problem at all and everything could be fine. Try not to worry about it too much. Just be more aware of your sister's behaviour. Give it a good few months or so and see how she goes. If you genuinely believe that she is becoming anorexic then please, tell someone right away and get help before it gets totally out of control. I've been there, I've done that, I know what anorexia is all about. And trust me, it's not a pretty story.

I hope I was helpful! xxxxx :)

It's hard to say she is anorexic just based on her size. Some people are just naturally small. However, if you notice she doesn't eat very often or tends to go to the bathroom immediately after eating or if she seems to purge, it might be a good idea to talk to her about it. Also, if she seems to be obsessed with her size or appearance or seems to be trying to hide her weight. If you notice these signs and can't seem to get anywhere with her by talking to her and telling her about your concerns, you may need to go to either your parents, a doctor, or another person who can step in and handle the situation. People suffering from anorexia tend to be irrational at times and she may get very defensive and even become beligerent when confronted. It is best to have someone who can help her. A therapist or counselor is a very good choice if there is one available that you can talk to.

That kind of thing happened to my friend, except that it was while I was gone, she became annorexic. First of all, has she always gone running in the morning? because if she'd just started during those two weeks then it's probably from the running. Secondly, IF she's annorexic, DO NOT ask her; either way she'll deny it. What I would do is just watch her for a few days, eat meals with her and just take in her reactions to food (and make sure she's not in the bathroom for a long time). Just spend a lot of time with her, and if what you're seeing worries you, if she's not acting herself, then I would assume she needs help.

maybe but since adolescence and puberty affects the body differently to each individual. Just keep an eye out and see if she eats alot, also make sure she does'nt go to the bathroom afterwards, she could have bulimia if this is the case. Ur a good sister to worry for her, good luck

Well, I've known people who were extremely thin - who were not anorexic

At her age it's hard to say

Her BMI *is* quite low

Did she use to weigh more& if she did - did she use diets or excessive exercise to lose weight?

Some people are just naturally thin - but if you're concerned I'd suggest paying more attention to her eating habits.. Just observing how often & how much she normally eats

does she eat? anorexic people dont eat. maybe she just has a high metabolism

she just might be under weight.watch her closely for signs of her being anorexic.

She`s probably naturally skinny . Unless you can see her bones and stuff then I would say there`s a problem .

no i dont think so. id say she is skinny but not anorexic.

Does she eat?