I said I’d retire but I don’t really like to be told I’m talking rubbish with no supporting argument. There’s been nothing said (apart from jomifl’s useful contribution) about the potential problems with simply giving up meat and my contention should not really be dismissed out of hand.
I’m not saying that vegetarianism is an eating disorder. As I readily accepted, 500m Indians follow it with no problems. I’m saying that for smowball’s son to declare “I’m not eating meat” without making any other adjustments is. If he makes no other adjustments to his diet (which is not indicated) he will suffer problems. That is not arguable, it is a fact. My earlier suggestions of “cook roast beef and two veg but just give him the two veg” was meant to illustrate that. It simply won’t work.
Jomifl’s answer portrays just one of the potential pitfalls and your following question is one (among many) that smowball’s son must investigate and address. You may not like the term “eating disorder” but in this case I think it is appropriate. I will accept that “announcing he wants to become a vegetarian” is perhaps a little stronger than simply saying “I’m not eating meat any more”. But it has to be taken in context. Teenage children make all sorts of rash decisions, some to do with eating and many of which are badly founded. They have to learn from their mistakes. Unfortunately if smowball’s son makes this mistake he will suffer illness as a result and that’s is not really desirable, I’m sure you’ll agree. So whilst I may accept I might not have grasped the context correctly please, before you simply dismiss it as “rubbish”, think it through.