Helping Skinny Kids Gain Weight

As obesity levels continue to worry experts, there is still the small matter of the proverbial 98 pound weakling to be addressed; an issue that is often overlooked in all the brouhaha that surrounds obesity.

Those that find it difficult to gain weight (what in fitness terms could be referred to as hard gainers in certain instances) have as much of a problem as do those who are trying to lose their excess weight.

Thin children can also be a cause of worry for parents, who may try to overfeed their children. Most often this is unnecessary and actually unadvisable since this could set the stage for a lifetime of unhealthy eating.

While some children are genetically thin, others appear so because of a sudden growth spurt making them taller.

Also there could be behavioral and medical reasons for this, says Dr. Keith-Thomas Ayoob, of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and he offers these tips:

• Consider how much food a child needs – food equal to the volume of his closed fist is all that he needs at one meal.
• If a child eats less at one meal, give more frequent feedings.
• When feeding a child high calorie food, also make sure it is high in nutrition.
• Smoothies, shakes and juices are a great way to sneak in calories.
• Rule out medical conditions and allergies.