Should I Gain Weight?

It's almost never a good idea for a kid to try to gain weight, especially by eating lots of junk food. It may seem strange when many people want to be thinner that some kids want to gain weight. But kids who are thin sometimes feel like they aren't the right size. And they might even get teased about their size.

People come in different shapes and sizes. You might have friends the same age who weigh a lot more than you do. That doesn't mean that either of you is the wrong weight.

Here are a few good reasons why some kids are thin or don't weigh as much as their friends:

• They're short. If you're not too tall, there's less of you — at least vertically. That equals fewer pounds when you step on the scale.
• They're small-framed, which is sometimes called "small-boned." It just means a person's body frame (their skeleton and muscles) might be smaller or thinner. One way to compare frames is to look at your wrist. A person with a smaller frame usually has a smaller wrist and might have trouble getting watches to fit!
• They feel thin compared with friends who've gone through puberty. During puberty, it's normal for kids to grow a lot and gain weight, too. If one kid hasn't hit puberty and another has, the one who's still waiting for puberty is likely to be smaller and thinner.
• Their parents are short, small, or thin people. Your mom and dad pass along their genes to you — including the genes that help determine your height and body frame. If close family members are on the small or thin side, there's a good chance you will be, too.