Is there anything unhealthy about being "underweight?"(x-posted in health and healing)

[peaceful_mama]

OK I really absolutely can't get this out of my head, even though I'm a pretty natural-minded person.

When I had my oldest into the WIC office for the last time, a couple months ago, they said he's "underweight."

He always has been on the lower end of the chart, maybe around 25th-ish percentile. He's now down close to 10.

He eats normally. I do not buy donuts or really anything out of the bakery. I do limit the sweets I buy. But I buy full-fat ice cream when I buy it, or make it. (It tastes better. I'm a full believer in totally enjoying something that's not good for you ) He eats full-fat dairy at home and pretty much always has--I've always had somebody under 2 in the house, it's just easier to buy one thing of yogurt and stuff like that. He eats butter on bread or toast, mayo on sandwiches, loves to dip in ranch, all that kind of stuff. And his dad loves fried stuff, unfortunately...at least most of it he makes at home so it's *healthy* fats. I'd say he eats either something fried at home, or the *occasional* mcd's or something every week.

He and his sister are maybe 4 pounds apart in weight, 2 years apart in age. (She is not overweight by any means. Just more like between 25th and 50th probably)

His dad is tall and probably also "underweight" according to charts.

He's not unhealthy-looking, it's not like you can see his ribs or anything. And he has TONS of energy, always going.

Also, I did ask for a copy of his chart. It goes back to age 2 years, 5 months. There's a height and weight every 6 months. Every time he has gained 1 to 1 1/2 pounds and 1 to 1 1/2 inches. This last time, the "underweight" visit, he had grown 1 1/2 inches and gained 1 pound--so I suppose it's possible he hit a height spurt and the weight will catch up?

He's been to the doc once a year for a school checkup the past 2 years, she never said anything.

Is there anything 'wrong' with being a little "underweight" according to some chart? They asked me if I wanted info on higher calorie/fat foods. I said no.
Is this any reason to start feeding any child a diet that will skew their taste buds into preferring "fattier" foods?? or possibly sweeter "higher calorie" foods? Because I could easily see where the child might fall into a less-active lifestyle and then be overweight because of this preference.

[MusicianDad]

Here's the thing.

There are some heath issues that can occure due to being underweight, just like there are health issues that can occure if your overweight.

But (and this a big, huge but) eating healthy, getting excersize and generally taking care of yourself mean more then what's on the scale. Weight (over or under) can increase the chances of some illnesses, it can also decrease the chances of other illnesses. That is a theoretical increase. Meaning that yeah, the chances are upped, but a healthy lifestyle often counter acts that. It is fully possible for someone who is underweight (or overweight) to be healthier than someone who is the perfect weight.

Society and the medical community put too much emphasis on what your numbers are. For some people, being the 'healthy' weight is not all that healthy. When you live a healthy life style, the body tends to stick with what is healthies for you as an individual.

[Fiverdoe]

I would so not worry about this. I am curious what under weight is these days and what they use as a median. I think people who eat healthfully and don't overeat sweets and such are considered too skinny or underweight just because they are not like some of us 'normal' or like most of us 'way too big'. it sounds like you make good choices for your family and that your DS is just high metablolism and thin. I would not make any adjustments to his diet unless he takes up more physical activity and needs more protien. I also htink once he hits puberty he will gain heavier muscle mass and maybe look more filled out.

The only thing I have ever heard about being underwieght is that if you fall ill or just get sick it is a much shorter distance to way tooooo thing than if you have extra fat to lose.

[crl]

Hmm, thin women are at higher risk for osteoporosis. And for vasovagular syncopy (funky heart thing that can result in passing out). Probably some other stuff. And as someone else pointed out, there are fewer reserves in case of illness. But, personally, I don't think that those things are significant enough to change a healthy diet and lifestyle. Especially because your child is continuing to grow.

I was a really skinny kid and my mom used to give me milkshakes after school to try to make sure I was getting enough calories. I was still a really skinny kid.

If you are concerned, I think it would be very reasonable to call your ped and ask about it.

Catherine

[octobermom]

Alone being on the smaller side or even a bit below the average isn't a horrible thingsome kids are just kinda above or below the charts... It can though indicate something else and may be something to jsut kinda watch. As a child I was way way off the charts in growth but I overall seemed healthy at least for the first few years but slowly it was realized that there tony docile child was that way because her heart was failing and shutting down all other organs. I had my first surgury to correct at at 4 and I weighed 17lbs with in the first month after I went up almost 12lbs still super small for a 4 year old but its was jsut my body working right that allowed it to accept the calories as fuel.
On the flip side I once took my slightly taller than average (80%) but in like the 30% for weight in WIC and they told be she was in danger of becoming obese


Deanna

[One_Girl]

I believe that it depends on if the child is also malnourished. The good fats are important for brain development and the nutrients that you get from eating are important for growth and proper development. WIC and most pediatricians get very concerned when a child drops a lot of percentiles because that can mean they aren't getting food and they are being malnourished and they are at risk for health problems. Mortality rates are also higher for children who are malnourished so you can see why the sudden drop would worry the people in the WIC office who work with people who often can't afford food. Since your child isn't malnourished you may just want to ask to speak to the nutritionist about this and see what she says.

[mrskingred]

If you are really concerned I would check with your ped, but if they just said he;s underweight a couple of months ago, and made no other comments or suggestions, I wouldn't be too concerned. It sounds from your comments as though your ds is gaining weight and height at each visit. Perhaps it may be worth checking to see if your DS has put weight on as it can catch you by surprise. (My DS weighed 13.5kg in March, 13.5kg and 98cm in Aug (3yr checkup and underweight by BMI) and at the end of Nov was 15kg and 101cm). I only twigged because I hurt my back picking him up at an angle.
HTH

[anj_rn]

OK, here is where I am a big fan of look at the child not the chart. Does your child look healthy or malnourished? Does the child eat and sleep well? Is the child sick frequently? If the child looks healthy, eats and sleeps well, and is not sick frequently, I would not worry about it.

DS is at 5% on the weight chart, but eats more than I do. He also runs full tilt as long as he is awake. I was also very skinny as a child, and I am normal weight now.

[peaceful_mama]

This kid runs, chatters, and fights with his sister all day long. He taught himself to read in the last couple months. I can count on probably still one hand the number of times he has been sick in 5 years. (DEFINENTLY on one hand if I don't count stuff like just having a runny nose but acting otherwise fine. And this is a kid who goes to preschool.) His preschool teachers say he's wonderful to have in class and have no concerns with him.

I think he is a normal kid who has his dad's metabolism. How wonderful for him! (DH is one of those people who can eat literally anything and does not gain...)

[JL83]

There are serious long term health issues that come from being underweight. It is healthier in the long term to be a bit overweight than underweight.

I would talk to his doctor. Men can get osteoporosis too.

His bones are also forming and developing right now. Part of that process is them bearing weight. If he's too underweight, then they won't get the information they need to form properly and strongly.

I'm a big believer in finding out the reasons behind things like the charts before dismissing the information from them. I would start with his doctor and see what happens.

[eepster]

Those charts are of healthy children, so if your DS is at 10% that means that 9% of healthy children weigh less than he does. My very healthy extremely active DS is at the 0% (my adult DH who is much healthier than me is also in the 0%.)

There may be some concern about him switching percentiles though. They are supposed to mostly stick to a certain percentile. However, it certainly isn't something to panic over, all kinds of little things could make him seem in a higher percent at one visit than in a lower percent the next. Just using the bathroom before being weighed can knock a couple of pounds off, if one has been holding it for a while. At the other end, having a big meal right before being weighed cn add quite a bit.

[noobmom]

DH is borderline underweight according to BMI. It's just the way he's built.

It's hard to say if your DS is truly underweight or just naturally an ectomorph body type. It is possible that during a growth spurt he could put on height before his weight catches up.

Personally, if WIC brought up something with me that the ped doesn't think is a problem, I would forget it.

[peaceful_mama]

His doc never said anything at his school checkups, one at 3-plus-a-few-months, one at I think he had it before he started school at 4....you know, I don't think we did one for this year! nobody has said anything....I bet they will soon if we need to. Or maybe since he's going to kindy they would have him wait till the next school year I don't know. (DS started in the middle of a year public preschool, on an IEP, 3-plus a few months...so our yearly checkup has always come in the middle of the year.)

They never said anything till the visit in Oct. I bascially dismissed it since he seems fine. Then....well.....it's been in the back of my mind. Actually looking at the chart and seeing that he *did* gain a pound, and there were other times that he gained *one pound* also remembering that we are coming off of summer with all the activity...

I guess I just came here looking to see if anyone thought there might be a reason I couldn't get it out of the back of my mind...

oh well I'm sure I'lkl have to bring somebody in sometime soon, I can probably ask his doc then if this is something worth him actually seeing him or not.