Being healthy and fit isn’t a trend, it’s a lifestyle. It not only changes your body, it changes your mind, your attitude, and your mood. When a majority of the people are thinking about losing weight and trimming their body, there are also many people with the same opposite weight loss concerns.

What do we mean by being underweight? Well, dealing with weight loss concerns and being underweight can be defined as having a body mass index which is less than the appropriate mass needed to support optimal health. This is below the BMI of 18.5, whereas, over 25 is considered to be overweight.

However, people who are not below the BMI 18.5 still want to gain weight. Do you fall into this category? Or are you struggling to gain weight?

Let’s take a look at the consequences of being underweight

Life expectancy

According to recent studies, being underweight can lead to an early death in both men and women. This might come as shocking to you when people around the world blame obesity for the same. Obesity is associated with only 50% of early death, whereas, being underweight has a greater risk of around 140%. Anyhow, it should be noted that being underweight is worse for men. There are more cases of deaths recorded for men who are underweight.

Immunity

Weight loss can also damage your immune system. It raises the risk of infection, and can also lead to fractures and osteoporosis. Age-related muscle wasting is another concern seen in underweight individuals. In women, this condition can lead to having fertility problems.

Causes for encountering weight loss concerns

Hypothyroidism

Having an overactive thyroid will lead to a faster metabolism. This will burn down the calories you took in much faster and will cause unhealthy weight loss. Having a faster metabolism is the main cause of weight loss among teenagers. No matter how much calories you take in, you never seem to gain weight while having a thyroid problem.

Diabetes

Many people are unaware of the fact that having diabetes can lead to weight loss. It’s better to consult a doctor before blaming your weight loss on other conditions. Type 1 diabetes might be the culprit behind your weight loss.

Infections

Certain infections can also cause individuals to become underweight. This includes tuberculosis and parasites which feeds on your body. Although, if you’re losing weight severely, you may want to see a doctor to rule out any serious medical conditions such as HIV or AIDS.

How to gain healthy weight

Eating junk foods can also help you gain fat. However, it will destroy your health and you’ll only be gifted with an unhealthy belly fat. Therefore, it is important to eat healthy foods even if you’re trying to gain weight.

You need to surpass the required calorific intake your body needs. Take in more calories than your body demands. Aim for 300-500 calories more than your body needs, this will help you gain weight gradually.

Eating nuts, dried fruit, meat, whole grain foods, and tubers can also help you gain healthy weight.

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Asif Haneef

A writer with passion to share his insights on food, health, sports, and travel. For him, writing was a hobby that turned into a way to share his knowledge to the world.