While the attention has been turning more and more to overweight children lately, there are actually many who would benefit from putting on some weight. The problem cannot be solved in a simplistic way by thinking of giving them greater quantities of "junk" food. The best way to gain a child's weight is to combine changes in eating habits with a choice of nutritious, calorie-dense foods, "adding" a few extra calories to the dishes. However, you should always consult your pediatrician first if you are concerned about your underweight child.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Identify the Causes
Step 1. Check for underlying diseases
Some children, as well as adults, are simply naturally thin and may have a hard time gaining weight. However, you need to rule out other possible causes that are preventing your child from gaining weight.
- Children are known to be "difficult" at the dinner table, but if your child is only slightly interested in food, it could be a sign of some health or psychological problem. Sometimes it can be a hormonal or metabolic problem, such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism that causes poor weight gain.
- Certain gastrointestinal problems and other conditions can make your baby uncomfortable at mealtimes or he may have some undiagnosed food allergy.
- There are some medicines that can reduce appetite, so also consider any drug therapy your baby is undergoing.
- Unfortunately, even pre-puberty teens can develop eating disorders due to various factors, such as peer pressure.
- Your child may also be overly active, which would simply lead to them burning far more calories than they are consuming.
Step 2. Consult your pediatrician
If your child has regular checkups, the doctor may tell you that he should get fat. However, if you are worried, don't be afraid to face the problem.
- As already mentioned, sometimes the cause of a weight below the norm is to be found in food allergies or intolerances, digestive problems or a number of other health problems. Your pediatrician can help you diagnose and treat these disorders.
- That said, know that very often the problem can be solved with changes that you and your child can make at home, although medical advice is always advisable.
Step 3. If the child is small, follow specific procedures
Managing an underweight baby is different than dealing with the same problem in an older baby. Although severe cases are rare, usually the factors responsible could be poor feeding techniques, poor breast milk production, or gastrointestinal problems.
- Always contact your pediatrician if you are concerned about your child not gaining weight. Your doctor may order tests for the newborn, advise you to go to a nutrition specialist (to observe breastfeeding techniques) or to a pediatric gastroenterologist.
- The remedies vary according to the specific situation of the baby, but among these you can consider: food supplementation with artificial milk (if breast milk is not enough); let the child eat for as long as he wants (so avoid rigid meal schedules); change the brand of infant formula (in the case of intolerance or allergy or to obtain a greater quantity of calories); start introducing solid foods a little before the classic period, around six months. Acid reflux medications may sometimes be prescribed.
- To ensure long-term health, it is essential that the newborn begins to gain weight early; therefore any deficit must be addressed with the appropriate advice of the pediatrician. Below average weight gain can always be reversed and ultimately no longer a problem.
Method 2 of 4: Change Behaviors
Step 1. Feed your underweight baby more often
Many times the problem is not what he eats, but simply how much. Young children have a stomach that is proportionate to their physique and must eat more often than adults.
- They should eat five or six small meals a day, as well as snacks.
- Whenever your child is hungry, feed him.
Step 2. Make mealtime important
While snacks are also necessary, you need to make mealtime the focus of your baby's day. You have to teach him that eating is important and also enjoyable.
- If the meal is experienced as an annoying moment, an improvised thing or even some kind of punishment (for example, you force him to sit until he has finished all the food), it will most likely be unpleasant to your child.
- Establish a regular meal routine. Turn off the TV. Make people focus on food in a pleasant way.
Step 3. Set a good example
Although your child needs to put on some weight, you may get some benefits from losing a few pounds. If this were the case, know that each other's eating habits should be less different than you think. Eating a variety of nutrient-rich foods is crucial for those who are underweight, but also for those who are overweight and anyone in between.
- Children learn by observing adults. If you regularly try new foods and opt for fruits, vegetables and whole grains as a healthy first choice, your child is more likely to adopt the same habits as well.
- Make junk food a rare concession, so both you and your child will benefit, regardless of whether you need to get fat or lose weight.
Step 4. Encourage him to exercise regularly
Just like healthy eating, training is also associated with both weight loss and gain. In fact, when it is combined with intelligent choices at the table, physical exercise becomes part of a regimen to increase body weight.
- For children who are already a little older, the development of muscle mass contributes to heavier weight and is always a healthier alternative to an increase in fat mass.
- Exercise stimulates the appetite, so encourage your child to work out before meals to see if "the trick" works.
Method 3 of 4: Choose High Calorie and Nutritious Density Foods
Step 1. Avoid unhealthy food choices
Cakes, cookies, soft drinks and fast food food are undoubtedly very high in calories and allow you to gain weight. However, the potential health problems they can generate (including diabetes and childhood heart disease) are too high for the few benefits.
- High calorie but nutrient-poor foods, such as sugary sodas, are not a healthy solution to weight gain. Foods that are rich in calories but also in nutrients are undoubtedly the best choice, because they allow the child to gain weight by providing him with all the essential vitamins and minerals.
- Don't tell your child that they need to "get fat" or "put on some fat," but tell them that you both need to make healthier food choices.
Step 2. Offer nutrient-rich foods to the table
Variety is important not only because it allows you to assimilate a wide range of vital nutrients, but also because it keeps the interest in nutrition alive. If mealtime is experienced as a duty or with boredom, then it will be more difficult to get your child to eat.
- A high-calorie, nutrient-rich diet for a child to gain weight should contain starchy carbohydrates (pasta, bread, cereals), at least five daily servings of fruit and vegetables, proteins (meat, fish, eggs and legumes) and dairy products (milk, cheese and so on).
- All children under two years of age should consume whole dairy products, and your doctor may advise you to continue this way beyond 48 months to support weight gain.
- While adequate fiber is essential in a healthy diet, you shouldn't overdo it when your child needs to gain weight. Too many whole grains (like pasta or rice) would make him feel too full for too long.
Step 3. Take advantage of healthy fats
There is a general tendency to believe that fats are bad, but this is not always the case. Many plant-based fats are indispensable components of a healthy diet. They are also ideal for gaining weight in a healthy way because they provide about nine calories per gram, while carbohydrates and proteins only four.
- Flaxseed and coconut oil are great solutions that can be incorporated into different foods. The first has a neutral flavor that goes completely unnoticed, while the coconut one leaves a sweet aftertaste to any dish, from sautéed vegetables to smoothies.
- Olives and olive oil are another great choice.
- Nuts and seeds, such as almonds and pistachios, provide a large amount of healthy fats.
- Avocados add a creamy texture to many dishes and bring great benefits at the same time.
Step 4. Choose "smart" snacks
Children who have to gain weight should be offered regular snacks. However, just like meals, these too must be chosen wisely, avoiding empty calories.
- Focus on high-calorie, highly nutritious foods that are easy to prepare and serve as a snack. For example, try wholemeal bread stuffed with peanut butter and jam, dried fruit and dried fruit, or apples with cheese. You can also make a turkey and avocado piadina.
- If you want to indulge in some treats, make some wholemeal muffins, granola bars, and yogurt before you think about cakes, cookies and ice cream.
Step 5. Observe what and when your child drinks
An adequate intake of water is undoubtedly essential, but an excess makes it satiated by reducing appetite.
- The empty calories from sodas have no nutritional value, while the amount of sugar found in fruit juices is bad for your teeth and overall health when consumed in excess.
- Water is always a good solution, but children who have to gain weight benefit from whole milk, smoothies or milkshakes or even from high-calorie supplements that you can find at the pharmacy. Talk to your pediatrician to find the best product for your child.
- Make sure your baby drinks most of his "ration" of fluids after a meal. Ask him not to drink before going to the table and give him enough water during the meal, to eat in a pleasant and safe way. This way you prevent him from feeling full on drinks alone.
Method 4 of 4: Improve the Calorie Counting of Foods
Step 1. Make milk your best ally
The ease with which milk and cheese can be added to a wide variety of dishes makes these ingredients great solutions for increasing the energy (and nutritional) intake of your child's meals.
- Smoothies and milkshakes are a "ploy" to get the child to drink the calories he needs, plus they contain fresh fruit that ensures the supply of nutrients.
- The cheese can be melted or sprinkled on almost any dish, from eggs to salads to steamed vegetables.
- Try adding milk to canned soups instead of water, and serve the vegetables and fruit with sour cream, cream cheese, or yogurt-based sauces.
- You can also adapt the dishes to your child's food intolerances or allergies or if you prefer not to serve dairy products. Soy or almond milk provides lots of calories and nutrients, while soft tofu can be incorporated into smoothies, for example.
Step 2. Offer him peanut butter
If the baby has no allergy problems, then peanut butter is almost always welcome as an addition to his diet, as it provides a lot of protein and calories.
- Spread it on a slice of wholemeal bread, bananas, apples, celery, multigrain crackers, and pretzels.
- You can also mix it into smoothies and milkshakes or use it as a "glue" between two pancakes or two slices of French toast.
- If your child is allergic to peanuts, almond butter is a perfect alternative. Flax seeds and their oil provide lots of calories and nutrients.
Step 3. As you increase your calorie intake, do it gradually
Simple additions and a few substitutions can increase the energy intake of foods suitable for children. For example you can try:
- Cook the pasta and rice in the chicken broth instead of in the water;
- Serve dehydrated fruit that children eat in larger quantities, because the reduced water content does not make them feel full.
- Add linseed oil to any dish which, thanks to its neutral flavor, can be added to salad dressing, peanut butter and banana smoothies.
- Add cooked beef or chicken to dishes like pizza, soup, stews, scrambled eggs, and cheese pasta.
Step 4. Try healthy but high calorie recipes
On the internet you can find countless recipes that are suitable for making children gain weight in a healthy way. Alternatively, you can ask your pediatrician for advice who will be able to recommend some optimal solutions.
- For example, you can make a high-calorie drink by adding two tablespoons of powdered milk to a cup of whole or skimmed liquid milk.
- There are recipes that also explain how to make "energy balls" with dried fruit, nuts and other ingredients, which can be stored for long periods and which can be quickly served to a hungry child.
Warnings
- Avoid offering your child sugary foods and drinks that make you fat, such as potato chips, cakes, candy bars, and sodas, with the aim of providing them with extra calories. These foods can undoubtedly make your child gain weight, but they are harmful to teeth, metabolism, muscle development, heart and brain, and can aggravate pre-existing conditions such as diabetes.
- If you are concerned that your child is not gaining weight or is losing weight, then discuss it with your pediatrician immediately, especially if you have noticed any major changes or the baby seems ill.
