If your child suddenly starts picking at meals during a spell of hot weather, it can be unsettling. But a smaller appetite for a few days can be a normal response to heat, particularly if your child is drinking well, has their usual energy and seems otherwise healthy.
Research directly examining heat and appetite in children is limited. Studies in adults, together with experimental research into the biology of appetite, suggest that warmer conditions can reduce food intake and affect some of the brain systems involved in controlling hunger.
