Am I underweight?

Question

I am 13 years old, 5' 4" and I only weigh 86 pounds. Does that mean I'm underweight? I eat A TON of food, too. I just can't seem to gain any weight.

Answer 1

A way to gain weight is to eat, maybe get some muscle(muscle weighs more then fat). Or eat without excercise and sit/lay in the house all day.

Answer 2

In a health book yes, you would be considered underweight but then again so would I. The healthy weight for a 5'4" girl would be like 105-115. But as long as you are eating healthy and drinking SOY milk (dairy has been linked to so many health conditions because of how they inject cows with hormones that are found in the milk) you are probably healthy. Your 13 so your metabolism is really fast meaning you burn calories while your sitting down watching tv unlike the rest of us. All i have to say is ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN! :)

Answer 3

I assume you'll be going to the doc for a physical before freshman year. You should probably go sooner and just let him take a look at you. It is possible that your parents will just have to talk to a nurse at the doctors office.

I guarantee that if you are healthy that metabolism will serve you well in the future. My wife was 5' 6" and still after 3 kids only weighs 120 lbs. I wouldn't be surprised if she was just about your size at your age.

Answer 4

If you are eating well, then the only other issue might be a thyroid problem. Its not an emergency. Next time you go to the doctor, ask him if he thinks you need your thyroid checked.

Between now and then, don't worry, and be grateful you can eat when 98% of the rest of the world is (or should be) on a diet.

Best to you ...

.

Answer 5

basically you are if you are an adult, but because you are still growing.. you are not underweight... when you stop growing and still eat a tons of food without gaining weight, better see a doctor.. at this stage you are ok...

Answer 6

maybe you are a little bid skinny, but that's fine. Don't worry about that. Just make sure that you are stay healthy, eat well, sleep well. Those will gain your weight soon. Maybe, you are skinny right now, but you may gain your weight few years later.

Answer 7

You could say that but its just a product of fast metabolism. I have it too but eventually as u go into ur later teens u'll gain a healthy amount of weight.

Answer 8

Please see ideal body weight calculators below.

The following healthy living recommendations will help you if you’re trying to lose weight, tone up your muscles, have aspirations of building lean muscle mass, are attempting to get a wash board stomach, or just want to feel better:

*1) Burn more calories then you're consuming everyday and measure your results using the following formula: Calories Consumed minus Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) minus Physical Activity minus the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). A website that explains this formula in more detail and will help you determine how many calories you need to reach or maintain a certain weight is at http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/weight/calsburned.htm

Get a diet and fitness calculator that you can put on your computer or cell phone. This will allow you to easily calculate the above formula, set goals, log your daily calorie consumption, and register your physical activities.

Set realistic goals for your ideal body weight. Here are two websites that will calculate a suggested body weight:
Adults: http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm
Teens/Children: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/exercise/weight/bmi.html

It is difficult and unhealthy to lose more than one or two pounds per week. There are 3,500 calories in a pound. If you eat 500 fewer calories per day for a week you will lose one pound. If you burn through exercise 500 more calories per day for a week you will lose one pound.

*2) Eat natural and organic foods found on earth versus something created by a corporation to make money. Eat meals in small portions throughout the day and take a good multi-vitamin supplement.

Avoid “High Glycemic Load Carbs” (sugar, pastries, desserts, refined starches such as breads, pasta, refined grains like white rice; high starch vegetables such as potatoes) and drink lots of water. Read this article for more information on high GL Carbs:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates.html

Do not try fad diets or diet pills. Here is an excellent food pyramid that anyone can follow: http://www.rayandterry.com/html/images/PyramidLRG.gif?osCsid=26a424be471d1337e7c2f105d5c64d9d

*3) Exercise on most days by doing cardiovascular training and/or resistance training activities.

Read a book or find a certified trainer to make sure your doing all resistance training exercises correctly. A great book to buy that teaches you the resistance training basics is “Weight Training for Dummies”. A superb magazine to buy with resistance training routines that will not get you bored is "Muscle and Fitness". Signup for the free newsletter. An excellent free online resource is at http://www.exrx.net/

A good book to buy that teaches you the cardiovascular training basics is “Fitness for Dummies”.

*4) Get plenty of sleep. Sleep experts say most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimum performance, health, and safety.

*5) Educate yourself continually on health issues and make a life long commitment to good health. A great free publication is “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005”. A superb book to read is “You The Owner’s Manual”. An excellent periodic publication is the “Nutrition Action Health Letter”. A reputable test you can take to measure your biological age is at http://realage.com

Look at all areas where you can enhance your health. For example, make improvements in the quality of the air you breathe. Review outdoor air quality forecasts where you live and get an indoor air purifier. Send me an email or yahoo instant message to "gainbetterhealth" if you want an indoor air purifier recommendation and if you have any questions.

*Click on all the source links below to get the full benefit of the recommendations. The answers presented to your health questions are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Answer 9

im 13 years old 2 i eat alot to but im not fat

Answer 10

It's not a big deal, you just have a fast matabolism. I'm the same way.