How to Put Underweight Child On Healthy Kilos? Follow These Tips

While there is a buzz about the detriments of obesity amidst children, there are parents who find themselves on the other side of the scale. They are concerned about their child being underweight. This may lead to force-feeding the child at times. And does it do any good? Far from it! For the hapless child, mealtimes just turn into a battlefield.

‘If I don’t force-feed her then how will she put on weight? How will she look healthy?’, is a common concern among parents with an underweight child. You can relax about your child’s weight if she is an active child. She is probably blessed with a good metabolism and burns calories faster than others. Most underweight children put on some weight once their eating habits change or as they grow.

How Do I Know For Sure If My Child Is Underweight?

There’s only one sure shot way – a trip to the doctor. The pediatrician will check these factors-

• Overall health, and whether your child has been sick recently
• Eating habits
• Are the parents very thin? There’s the genetic factor to be considered
• Has your child recently had a growth spurt and grown taller? This can make him appear thin for a while

The BMI is then calculated, and if your child is below the fifth percentile, he is considered underweight

How Do I Help My Underweight Child Put On Healthy Kilos?

A couple of spoons are enough to get her started on a new food.

• Explore calorie dense foods such as-
  • full-fat milk, fresh cream, paneer, cheese, milk shakes and yoghurt smoothies, cheese balls
  • peanut butter
  • eggs - scrambled egg with added milk or fresh malai
  • chicken
  • fish
  • stuffed parantha or boiled and mashed potato with melted cheese
  • full-fat milk based puddings like rice kheer, fruit custard, vermicelli kheer
  • gajar halwa
  • fruits like banana, mango, litchi, grapes
  • dried fruits, trail mix with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, honey, etc
• Try feeding her good sources of protein to foster adequate growth, such as-
  • fish like sardines & salmon
  • soya milk, tofu
  • dried beans like kabuli chana/lobia/black chana/rajma/dried peas, dals and other lentils
  • vegetables like fresh beans, broccoli, spinach, okra, squash, watercress
  • peanut butter (note: try little portions initially to rule out allergy)
  • banana
  • orange juice fortified with calcium
  • Dried fruits like figs, raisins and prunes
• Prepare meals that look interesting by being creative with its presentation. Some ideas for making food more attractive are-
  • Try cooking dishes in new ways. For instance: Instead of making palak aloo or dal palak every time, make spinach-cheese or corn-spinach casserole in continental style. You may add new flavors with the help of different dressings, seasonings, cheese or sauces
  • Add colors by adding an assortment of vegetables such as tomato, carrot, red/yellow/green capsicum, beetroot, etc. Bright colors have an instant appeal for children
  • Cut solid foods into different shapes with a cookie-cutter or corer. It adds to the appeal of the fruit/food and raises the interest level of the child
  • Make stories around food (e.g. Broccoli with cheese could be a tree covered with snow)
• Offer six or seven smaller meals throughout the day instead of three big meals, especially during early years. Toddlers can be overwhelmed by big platefuls and may lose their appetite
• Don’t allow unhealthy snacking between scheduled meals as junk food can kill appetite. Avoid giving juices and high sugar foods between meals. Remember that your child will be open to trying new foods especially when hungry
• Don’t force-feed new foods as she will begin to hate them after a power struggle. Your child might come to associate mealtime with anxiety and frustration
• Set a positive example. Role model by eating all the foods that you want your child to eat. Children are very likely to try foods that are being eaten and enjoyed by their parents and peers
• Make dinner a family meal where your child experiences her full family enjoying all the foods served on the table and is encouraged to try new foods
• Don’t panic and yell when your child doesn’t eat other foods. He may then associate mealtimes with stress. Be patient and give it time to resolve itself over time
• Don’t give up. It takes repeated exposure to a new food before your child may even taste it
• Don’t let him drink fluids just before and during his meals as even water can fill up a little belly, tricking your child into feeling full

In most cases, all it takes is patience before your child builds healthy meal time habits and eats well. Keep offering new foods, and encourage healthy snacking, and your little one will be back on track. Know some weight gain foods for your child.

We hope that these tips turn out to be useful for you. Feel free to share some of your own tips in the comment section below.