I was wondering how much SWAMI or the genotype diet makes sense for children (10 and almost 13 years old), since I assume proportions and therefore measurements are still changing. Should I stick to the blood type diet with them?

My personal assumptions is that SWAMI knows the age of a child and will select foods appropriate for them.

As a child ages you will want to take new measurements and enter the updated information into SWAMI.

The general recommendation on GenoType versus blood type for a child is to use the blood type diet.

However, their are several forum participants with children that have found that using the GenoType diet with some of their children worked better.

Can children be Genotyped?
http://www.dadamo.com/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?m-1205923297

I have my kids on the BTD right now. My oldest (16 and done growing) measures out to be a Gatherer, but we still have her on the BTD. I'd like to get her a SWAMI but it's not in the budget right now. I'm hesitant to have her follow the "by the book" Gatherer diet because too many of the inexpensive "in season in the wintertime" veggies are black dots for Gatherers (though neutrals on my own SWAMI.)

I personally wouldn't invest in a SWAMI for a child unless that child had specific health issues that weren't being resolved by BTD alone.

Without the co-operation of my wife, even getting my children on the BTD will be impossible.

However, I read both of my children's fingerprints (ages 11 and over a week ago and my son has mismatched thumbs and index fingers signifying Explorer.  He really doesn't have a choice as my wife and I, my mother, and, most likely her mother, are all explorers.  His build and looks match mine closely at the same age, but you can see traces of his maternal grandfather as well.  My daughter is still a bit of a mystery to me.  She is developing much like my sister; tall and slender.

I wouldn't use Swami for children unless it was a specialized version designed for the purpose.  I borrow the thinking of their pediatric doctor - "Children are not half-sized adults."

Paul, I believe my daughter will turn out to be an Explorer as well.  And like you, getting my wife (her mother) to buy in to either the BTD or the Explorer diet is not possible.  (They had McDonalds for supper last night.)  Then there's the issue of school lunches.  Kids these days have so much to carry to school, and in middle school they strive to fit in, I'd hate to burden her with some bizarre foods.

I understand how SWARMI arrived at my Type O / Explorer blend.  I think I could get 85% of it right with my daughter on a Type A / Explorer blend without buying SWARMI.

I think when she's on her own, she might do the diet.  I just hope that her thyroid and adrenals hold out long enough....

Even if you can't get the other parent on board, and "avoiding the avoids" isn't possible, you can still encourage the child to eat beneficials at meals you prepare. Loading up on nourishing foods at dinner a few times a week will help them to better withstand the "less than stellar" diet the rest of the time.

I'd educate the children directly about BTD/GTD, letting them know that healthier eating is something they can choose to do (or not do) at each meal and snack, and it's something to keep in mind should they face any kind of health problems in the future. Even if they make no effort to avoid fast foods or school lunches right now, they might get inspired to try it if they're plagued with bad acne in a couple of years.

I am not too worried about their thinking.

Even my die-hard will-not-eat-fruits-or-vegetables son is adjusting what food he habitually eats.  Children adopt the heart of the mother and the thinking of the father.  Even when they rebel, they rebel in like terms.

School lunches are a problem; they wind up being school super-snacks.  I can give them a boiled egg just before they go off to school, but getting them to eat their lunch is not a priority in their current school.  My daughter has adopted a mainly vegetarian eating habit, particularly prising berries most fruit leafs and tubers.  She likes turkey and roast beef, when it is available.  She distains most forms of cheese and grains.

She could possibly be an Explorer.  Although she is ectomorphic, she seems to be made almost entirely of bone mass.  My sister was thin and boney in ner early teens and is undoubtedly an Explorer.

I use swami for my daughter whi is 4.5 it works well, as it takes into account parental sickness issues. worth every penny. kind regards