Nutrition for Underweight People

Media attention is typically focused on obesity and weight loss methods. However, a significant number of people are underweight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 2 percent of or 600,000 U.S. adults are underweight. The term underweight is used when weight is 15 to 20 percent below standards or normal range. Weight class is determined by calculating body mass index (BMI) and is defined as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters (kg/m2).

Causes

Being underweight can be caused by poor nutrition, an underlying disease, age, excessive athletic training or genetics. Undernutrition may lead to reduced function of hormone-related glands, loss of energy, increased risk of injury or infection and even distorted body image.

Warning

Underweight is not synonymous with optimal health. Any underlying cause of underweight, such a disease, must first be dealt with. A ScienceDaily article from Nov. 7, 2007 reported a significantly increased rate of mortality among underweight and obese individuals when compared to their normal weight counterparts. Action should be taken to maintain near the "normal" BMI range.

Recommendations

Underweight individuals should eat 500 to 1,000 extra calories per day to gain one to two pounds per week. Increasing calories should be done slowly and over time to reduce the risk of gastric discomfort and other major medical problems. Overeating fatty junk food is not the way to increase your daily calories, as it can cause other long-term health problems. Instead, you should continue to follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, but with a kick. The guidelines recommend eating foods that are less than 30 percent fat, a minimum of five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables, a variety of lean meats, at least three servings of dairy products and whole grains each day.

Tips and Tricks

Kick your diet into high gear by including a variety of energy-dense snacks such as trail mix, nuts and granola; switch to mostly whole-milk products; eat fatty fish such as salmon and tuna at least two times per week; and include a liquid nutritional supplement such as an Instant Breakfast product on some days. Try to eat five to six scheduled and planned balanced meals or snacks each day to meet the increased requirements. It is important to eat your meals, even if you are not hungry.

Considerations

Dietary supplements such as protein powders and amino acid blends are often used to aid in weight gain or in an attempt to improve health. Supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and should be carefully considered before use. Consult with your physician or a registered dietitian for more information about specific supplements. A general multivitamin may be useful to help fill in the nutritional gaps. However, be cautious of megadoses; generally you do not need a vitamin with more than 100 percent of the daily requirements.

Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but may need to be scaled back for some underweight individuals. Please check with your physician to learn what is best for you.