Aoife Hearne: The smallest worry puts my daughter off food — what can I do? 

Stress and anxiety can affect our eating behaviours. While we generally associate chronic stress with increased food intake and frequency of eating, acute stress can have the opposite effect

Adorable little girl eating cereal with strawberries in white kitchen

My seven-year-old daughter’s appetite fluctuates. The smallest worry or upset can put her off food for days. I’ve noticed that she has started to look pale over the past few weeks. What can I do to encourage her to eat more?

It’s not unusual for children to go through different phases with their appetite. In fact, when they experience a growth spurt, it can seem like there is not enough food in the world to satisfy their appetite.