Low BMI

  • Updated on Mar 12, 2025
  • Published on Mar 10, 2025

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Disclaimer: This material is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it. It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, nor does it replace the advice or counsel of a doctor or health care professional. Reference to a specific commercial product or service does not imply endorsement or recommendation of that product or service by CPCMG.

Many children who weigh less than others their age are healthy and do not need to try to gain weight. This is especially the case if they eat a generally balanced diet and have been tracking around the same height and weight percentile-for-age over time.

They may go through puberty on a different schedule than some of their peers, and their bodies may grow and change at a different rate.

Most underweight teens catch up in weight as they finish puberty during their later teen years.

Your child’s healthcare provider will help you understand if your child is experiencing poor growth or malnutrition related to insufficient caloric intake.

Adding the following healthful, yet high calorie items to foods can be helpful for these children. Consider including some of these suggestions in smoothies, adding them to other foods, combining them together, or even eating them alone.

Food

Calories

  • Instant breakfast powder (1 packet)

  • Infant cereal (for infants) (1 tablespoon)

130

9

  • Whole milk (1 cup)

  • Powdered milk (1 tablespoon)

  • Evaporated milk (1 tablespoon)

146

25

20

Vegetable oils (1 tablespoon)

110

Avocado (1/2 of medium)

160

Cheese (1oz)

100

Full-fat yogurt, plain (6oz container)

100

Granola (1/4 cup)

140

Dried fruit (1/4 cup)

80

Peanut butter (1 tablespoon)

95

Hummus (1 tablespoon)

25

Nuts and seeds (ground for younger kids to avoid choking hazard) (1/4 cup)

200

Specialized drinks such as Pediasure (8 oz)
or Boost Kids Essentials (8 oz)

240

360

This publication was adapted from information within Nemours KidsHealth articles and kidshealth.org

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/childs-weight.html?ref=search Reviewed by: NM M.D., AR D.O. | 12/2023