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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 |
|---|---|
| 130 9 |
| 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) | 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