14-year-old yells at his 15-year-old brother for throwing away all the food in the house that has sugar in it because he's going on a diet: 'I need orange juice in the morning for my iron supplements.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Nov 28, 2025 8:00 AM EST

He has no right to dictate what everyone else in the house eats. 

If you grew up in a family where your parents were frequently going on diets, you know what it's like to have the contents of the pantry radically change overnight, only for it to go back to normal after a few months. You think that the days of whole grain pasta will never end, but nobody can eat gross health food for their whole life, especially if they're not particularly motivated to do so. 

The question of whether one family member's diet should dictate the food choices of the whole household is a tricky one. If someone is deathly allergic to something, it's fair to not keep it in the household for their safety. But what if someone is just on a diet, and they will break it if someone buys Golden Oreos. Should their family be deprived of Golden Oreos just because they are undisciplined? If they want to be on a diet so badly, they shouldn't break it just because there is unhealthy food in the house. Then again, parents might try to be better safe than sorry if they don't trust their kids to stick with a medically prescribed diet. 

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  • A man is looking in the refrigerator at a variety of vegetables
    via Yunus Tuğ (Unsplash+)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • The teen in this story is trying to lose weight by cutting out sugar, but he's taking the rest of his family with him on his health journey, and they do not appreciate that.

  • Am I the bad guy for yelling at my brother for trying to dictate what food is in the house?

    My brother (15, almost 16) is trying to cut back on sugar to lose weight - which I don't think will do anything considering it won't change the fact that he eats like 3000 something Calories per day. The problem is, he wants there to be absolutely no sugar in the house and has said he'll start throwing out anything he finds with sugar starting tomorrow.
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • There are two issues with this: 1) basically everything has sugar (including the orange juice I need in the morning for my iron supplements), and 2) my other brother (17) is underweight and needs sugar to try and gain weight.
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • Young man wearing gray jacket beside brown wall
    via Sébastien Mouilleau

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • I'm pissed about the fact that he wants to do this, so I, with my limited control of my emotions (that I know I need to work on), yelled at him. I think it was justified and he's refusing to compromise. My mums are refusing to talk about it until "everything's calmed down" but I know whatever they do won't work.
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • A woman sitting on a chair holding a cup of coffee
    via Centre for Ageing Better

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • I'm terrified of my brother when he's angry like this (he's tried to burn the house down before, once bent my head back in a way that could've broken my neck (intentionally), has forcefully kept me in my room by holding the door, etc.), I'm in my room and
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • am literally shaking whenever I hear footsteps or movement around his room, which is across from mine. That's kinda a seperate issue though, basically, when he's set his mind to something, he'll do it and isn't. open to compromise. So, AITA? (Am happy to answer questions)
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • Edit: I'm 14, transmasc. In previous situations, my parents have just reprimanded him and talked about the situation, but not much else from what I've seen.
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • LiveKindly01 This belongs with your parents. They're staying hands off until things 'calm down'...whatever that means. Tell them you need to have a family meeting. Tell them why and what your feelings and fears are. Little brother wants to throw out food, I'm pretty sure your parents will have somethign to say about that.Older brother will also have soemthign to say
    via u/LiveKindly01
  • about that. They need to work with younger brother to figure out a way for him to feel less tempted, etc. that DOESN'T impact on the rest of the household. But don't let the fear thing slide - impress upon moms that you are fearful and INFO - how have they handled these assaults in the past?
    via u/LiveKindly01
  • Not Quite_Human64 OP My mums and other brother were all there during the argument. I have therapy once a week and will invite my family to it. They've previously just reprimanded him and talked to him about stuff like this, but not much else from what I've seen
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • No_Reputation5871 First, if he is this violent, something needs to be done.. and on your end, as soon as you are 18, I would move out and not look back.. By your mom just saying, every one needs to calm down first, which I will agree with.. But it sounds like she does nothing to really fix the problem which has lead to this situation.. If he does anything too harmful again, maybe you should start calling the police and pressing charges.. Messing with someone's neck is not funny in any way. And c
    via u/No_Reputation5871
  • Maybe ask your mom for a dorm size fridge to put stuff on your room, like the orange juice that you need. I have anemia and have ended up in the hospital for iron infusions or blood transfusions more than once because my iron level got too low. If she says no, then ask her if she would rather have a hospital bill instead.. because trust me, it has been so bad with me that I have had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance because of it.. and trust me, a small dorm fridge will be much cheaper
    via u/No_Reputation5871
  • Not Quite_Human64 OP If he does anything too harmful again, maybe you should start calling the police and pressing charges I've considered it in the past and do have photos from every time he's physically injured me.
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • Maybe ask your mom for a dorm size fridge to put stuff in your room I can't put one in my current room because we are moving soon, and my new room only has one powerpoint, which I need for my charger and lamp (I might be able to get an extension thing though). We do live in Australia, so ambulance rides are covered by Medicare I think, idk if they cost anything, but I'll still ask her.
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • No_Reputation5871 I live in the USA, and here they do.. As for one outlet.. They make splitters and surge strips.. I would not recommend it if you were talking a full size fridge, but small dorm size ones don't take up anywhere near as much power.. Here, code says that you need to have at least one outlet on each wall, and something like no more than 8 feet apart.. So to me, unless the wiring was done over 50 years ago, it just seems odd to me to only have one outlet in a room.
    via u/No_Reputation5871
  • Not Quite_Human64 OP The house was built in 1998, which isn't that old for where I live. It's bordering the new area of town and the old area. I don't think there's any code around that kind of thing where I am, and I rarely see more than 2 in a bedroom (plus, our old house was built in 1961, it had more powerpoints)
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • Mountain_Arm_5353 Definitely NTAH but I think for your own safety (as hard as it might be) you need to stay out of arguments like this. Based on what you've said he's done I can't believe your mom is taking a neutral stance on all of this. Did he explain why he's trying to do no sugar or did I miss it in the original post??
    via u/Mountain_Arm_5353
  • Not Quite_Human64 OP It's in the original post, he's trying to lose weight. I try to stay out of arguments but don't always realise if something's escalating (probably because I'm autistic), and I also find it really hard not to respond and just walk away
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • Mountain_Arm_5353 Thanks for clarifying!! If he's trying to lose weight and drinking orange juice... then he's dumb but just my opinion lol I agree with you. I also agree with you in saying that I try to stay out of arguments (ocd and fear of confrontation lol) but it sounds like he has a temper that you could never have predicted in this situation. I actually worry for your safety in terms of the situations you've described before and hopefully he won't escalate this one, but I would try to avo
    via u/Mountain_Arm_5353
  • Not Quite_Human64 OP I'm younger, 14, we are currently moving because my bio parents got divorced recently, and I'll have the option to stay at my dad's house (he's not great either, but definitely better than my brother). My brother will have that option too but he also doesn't have a great relationship with my dad. I'm okay, thanks
    via u/Not_Quite_Human64
  • No_Reputation5871 If that's the case, I would move in with your dad.. It sounds like just not a good relationship with your dad, but at least it is not endangering your health..
    via u/No_Reputation5871
  • Mountain_Arm_5353 That's definitely a tough spot to be in and i definitely think if you can trust your mom not to say anything to your brother maybe suggest that he goes into some kind of therapy because you do not deserve to be living in fear in your own home everyday!! His temper should not hold you back from being yourself ♥
    via u/Mountain_Arm_5353

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teens family drama diet teenager brother sibling rivalry teenagers siblings reddit story diets sugar refrigerator family sibling reddit thread Reddit brothers
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