Last updated on April 12, 2026
Question:
Hi sir,
I’ve learned that in a growth spurt, appetite often increases. How long does a meal satisfy a person until they get hungry again? I think I might be going through it. I would feel hungry again 3 hours before my meal. In the past few weeks, I’ve also eaten more than usual, but there are days when I feel really hungry and days when I just don’t want to eat. So I end up eating too much and gaining fat. I’m also athletic, so I play sports pretty much every day. Could you please help me determine if I’m going through a growth phase or just something else?
Answer:
Generally, your gut releases hormones to tell your brain when you are low on food or have eaten enough food. Your blood sugar levels also play a role in determining when you feel hungry. Some medications can interfere with these signals, along with poor sleep or stress. In other words, just because you are hungry, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are growing. It can mean you’ve used up a lot of your reserves, or that you need more energy to build muscle.
Instead of going by feeling, you should have your body fat measured. That would give us a starting point.
To determine if you are growing, you should figure out where you are in your development. Using the Tanner Stage Calculator will give you an estimate. I can’t give you an estimate since I can’t see you.
Question:
I used the calculator, and it shows Tanner stage 3.5~3.6, and I also grew 1 cm over the past 2 months.
Answer:
Then the most likely answer is that you are having a growth spurt, and that is causing your appetite to increase. Of course, an increased appetite is not an excuse to overeat or to eat junk food. However, you’ll need more calories over the next few years to fuel your growth.