If you’re looking to gain weight, it’s very important to do it right.
Consuming soda, donuts, and other junk foods may help you gain weight initially, but it can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).
A healthy approach to gaining weight involves gaining a balanced amount of muscle mass and subcutaneous fat, rather than a lot of unhealthy belly fat (4Trusted Source).
A recent animal study suggests that belly fat may be correlated with increased cancer risk (5Trusted Source).
A high percentage of body fat also increases your chances of developing type 2 diabetes and other health problems, even if you are not overweight (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).
To gain weight safely, focus on eating more nutrient-dense foods and living an overall healthy lifestyle that involves exercising, getting enough sleep, and reducing stress, if you can.
This article outlines simple strategies to quickly gain weight — without increasing your risk of disease.
Causes of being underweight
Several medical conditions can cause weight loss, including:
Eating disorders: This includes anorexia nervosa, a serious mental health condition (20Trusted Source).
Thyroid problems: An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can boost metabolism and cause unhealthy weight loss (21Trusted Source).
Celiac disease: The most severe form of gluten-related disorder. Overall, the incidence of celiac disease has risen throughout the 20th and 21st centuries (22Trusted Source).
Diabetes: Diabetes (mainly type 1) that is not properly managed can lead to severe weight loss (23Trusted Source).
Cancer: Cancer can cause the body to be in a hypercatabolic state, which leads to increased energy being used. It can cause someone to lose a lot of weight , but the severity and weight loss can depend on the type of cancer and the age of the person. (24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source).
Infections: Certain infections can cause someone to become severely underweight. This can include parasites, tuberculosis, and HIV (26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source).
Why is gaining weight important?
Many people in the United States are underweight (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source).
Some individuals may be naturally underweight due to genetics or a fast metabolism. Being underweight may also indicate poor nutrition or underlying health conditions (9Trusted Source).
Additionally, many people who are not clinically underweight may still want to gain muscle and put on weight for other reasons.
Whether you’re underweight or attempting to gain muscle weight, the main principles are the same.
What does it mean to be "underweight"?
The clinical definition of underweight is having a body mass index (BMI) below 18.5. This is estimated to be less than the body mass needed to sustain optimal health (10Trusted Source).
However, keep in mind that there are many problems with the BMI scale, which only looks at weight and height. It does not take muscle mass into account.
People can have different BMIs and body types and still be healthy. Being underweight according to this scale does not necessarily mean that you have a health problem.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), being underweight is about twice as common among women compared with men. In a U.S. survey that grouped participants into men and women, 1.3% of men and 2% of women 20 years and older are underweight
You must be logged in to post a comment.