Final answer:
George likely eats more than his father due to the higher metabolic demands of growth and development common in middle childhood and pre-adolescence, leading to higher calorie requirements despite a lower body weight.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking why a twelve-year-old boy, George, eats about twice as much as his father yet weighs significantly less.
The best explanation for this phenomenon is related to metabolism, growth, and developmental stages during middle childhood and pre-adolescence.
During these stages, children and adolescents often have higher metabolic rates due to the energy requirements of growing tissues and organs. George is likely undergoing a period of rapid growth, requiring more calories for energy and development. On the other hand, his father, being an adult, has a lower metabolic rate as his body is not growing and requires fewer calories.
It is also important to note that while many teens tend to eat too much or the wrong types of foods, leading to an increase in teenage obesity, this does not seem to be the case for George at his current weight, assuming he is at a healthy weight for his age and height.