Reasons why your child might be very thin — examine these for keys to a healthy weight 1. Genetics. If being very skinny runs in your or your spouse’s family, chances are one of you has said this before: “I looked exactly like that when I was a child!” 2. Your child is very active and burns a large amount of calories throughout the day. 3. Your child is a fidgeter. “If your child fidgets a lot, his body is moving all the time, expending energy,” Lisa said. He probably even burns extra calories while watching TV. 4. Your child is very muscular. “More muscle mass burns more calories”, our expert reminded parents. 5. Your child has a poor appetite. “Your child could also be depressed, overtired or overstressed and then the appetite goes down,” Lisa explained. “Toxic dynamics at the dinner table can be an issue too.” Talk to your pediatrician about possible reasons and to rule out a more serious cause. 6. Your child is a picky eater. This reason is very similar to the one above and might be difficult to distinguish. The difference is that you have ruled out underlying medical concerns. 7. Your child has an undiagnosed food allergy or sensitivity. This in itself could lead to poor appetite. “If a child’s tummy hurts every time she eats, she is not going to want to eat,” Lisa explained. 8. Other medical reasons – “With celiac [gluten-intolerance], for example, a child does not absorb enough food,” Lisa said. 9. Your child’s diet is unhealthy. If your kid eats too much overly processed food, his taste buds are trained to like very sugary and very salty foods. “Then nutrient-rich whole foods don’t taste as good,” Lisa said. As a result, your child is missing out on these wholesome foods that would help him maintain a good weight. 10. Too much fiber in your child’s diet. “Too much fiber causes unpleasant bloating and, as a consequence, your child might not want to eat as much,” Lisa said. 11. Your child is lacking vitamins or minerals. For example, according to our nutrition expert, low zinc intake is associated with decreased sense of smell and taste. Thus, your child might not be able to enjoy food as much. “Also, low iron, low folic acid (folaid) and low vitamin B12 all can reduce your child’s energy level, which eventually reduces a child’s desire to eat enough,” she said. 12. Your child’s or your relationship to eating is disordered. “Some parents withhold food or certain foods from their children—intentionally or unintentionally—because they don’t like these foods themselves,” Lisa said. “Or maybe the mother is on a long-term weight loss diet and cooks with little or no oil or butter, uses only skim milk for the family, etc.” Without fat in their diet, children’s bodies can’t absorb vitamins A and D. What’s more, Lisa said, “Kids need carbs.”
Posted on: Mon, 01 Jul 2013 06:50:31 +0000
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