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is it bad to be "underweight"?

I know this may seem like a stupid question but my BMI is 18.6 which this site says is underweight. Okay, I'm 5'7" and 119 pounds. I've been starting to eat more calories but i've lost more weight still. I know that I don't look underweight. I mean, isn't it different for everyone what would be considered underweight? I'm eating healthy food and I feel healthy so does it matter what the BMI says? Can't i still be healthy and "underweight"?

well i'm basically the same as you- i'm 5'8'' and 125 lbs. my bmi's almost exactly the same as yours i think. as long as your healthy, its ok. its better to be underweight than overweight, anyways.

i really don't think it's better to be underweight than overweight. neither is good. i don't really know if it's ok if you're underweight. i wouldn't think so, but i think you should ask your doctor the next time you see him/her.

Being at a healthy weight is the only way to prevent certain health problems. Though, not knowing your bone structure, you may be ok. The BMI calculators are for the average person. Talk to your doctor, see what they say about your weight.  

I would say it depends on the reason for being underweight.

For example, if you're just naturally thin due to a high metabolism, or because you're very active and exercise a lot, yet you're eating enough and getting the proper nutrition that your body needs, then I'd say it's probably ok to be a little underweight.

But if you're underweight because you're starving yourself, overexercising without eating enough, or otherwise depriving your body of what it needs, then NO, it is not ok, and it is not healthy.

here's what I think... "underweight" or "overweight" are nothing but labels based on some (often arguable) criteria (BMI in this case). I know a few pretty muscular guys whose BMI puts them in obese category, despite the fact that they are bodybuilders with BF under 10%... if you have slim (ectomorph) body type, thin bones, etc. chances are you will weigh less than the next person with the similar size...

if you feel healthy, if you feel full of energy, if you like the way you look... that's all that matters... so don't worry about numbers...

Don't rely on the BMI system. It considers me underweight too but I'm perfectly healthy and my doctor has no problem with my weight. If you don't have ribs popping out everywhere, you're ok.

I agree with candlelight- Some people who have CRAZY amounts of muscle may be classed as 'overweight' when they're really in shape and have low BF%. It all depends on how you carry your weight.

Another thing to consider is that I've found this site's BMI classifications to be a bit skewed.  Most places have <18.5 as being underweight.

Regardless if someone is underweight, overweight, or within a healthy range for their stature. I think a bad relationship with food is a disorder. It's just not healthy mentally.

Um. Do you have a good relationship with food? If so, if you're contently eating without a complusive behavior than it's fine. I think. If it's something you're trying to control to make so or possibly lose more weight, because your goal is underweight than I think not. Anything to an extreme is bad even something meant to be healthy, such as calorie counting.

well yes! you can still be healthy && underweight, just not too underweight, that it sOo much affects your health.

As long as you get a healthy amount of calories & healthy food in your day, then yes in my opinion you can still be healthy.

but I found this BMI and 18.5 is underweight??? heres the links

http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

http://www.halls.md/body-mass-index/bmi.htm

ect.

Body mass index, WHO classifications

<18.5 Kg/m 2 Underweight, Thin
18.5 - 24.9 Kg/m 2 Healthy weight, Healthy
25.0 - 29.9 Kg/m 2 Grade 1 obesity, Overweight
30.0 - 39.9 Kg/m 2 Grade 2 obesity, Obesity
>40.0 Kg/m 2 Grade 3 obesity, Morbid Obesity

 

according to this yOu ARE at a acceptable HEALTHY weight.

sOo clearly, you have nothing to worry about being Underweight && is this Healthy.

oh cool so i'm not underweight according to other sites! thanks everyone!

How is your skin?  Your hair?  Your energy level?  Your mood? 

If you're a small-boned person, you may be thin, but not "clinically" underweight ... if you feel good and have plenty of energy to get through your day, then you're probably doing just fine.

BMI is not a perfect measure of health.  Personally, I see nothing wrong with being at either end of the BMI's "healthy weight" range.  And if you're fit, eating enough, etc.  even being a tick or so outside it on one end or the other may be okay.  You could try another kind of body fat measurement - IE calipers, water displacement, neck/waist measurements etc. if you want to know for sure.  But if it was me, and I was eating enough, had enough strength and energy, I wouldn't sweat being a little below the healthy BMI range.  If your friends are telling you you look gaunt and you don't have the strength and stamina you'd like, it might not hurt to eat a bit more.  Only you can say for sure.

i agree with most of the above--

i am 5'7" and weigh 157 - my bmi says i am at like 25-26 bmi by CHART only-

i weight train HEAVY & my body fat is at a very healthy 18% after lifting like i did... that counts more than the freaking BMI like most indicated above... i have far more muscle weight than fat weight

(and let me tell you - i HATE to discuss the scale- it's NOT indicative of really how healthy I am! I wish I was 140, but hey-- i should be happy with all the muscle!)

get your body lean to fat ratio done at a gym or doctors- and pending results... if good and if you eat healthy & exercise- your weight might be ok for you--

i don't think a lot can be read into charts-- if so then we'd all be the same and obviously that's not the case!

Hey I wouldnt stress about it. It seems like youre eating enough and being healthy. This site says I have a 16.8 BMI and I feel fine.  As long as ur healthy then you should be fine

um ok i know this is old but just thought i'd put my two cents in . there are a few people that eat a normal healthy amount, even a little more- i'm talking 2000 for a female 2500 for a male normal! and are just on the skinny side- fast metabolism or whatever- my uncle is one of them. but these people are few and far between and it worries me that some people blame a fast metabolism on there low bmi when after a quick look at there diet yu can see that in fact it is due to overeating.

bre54321 you used to be 30 lbs bigger than you are so i doubt you are one of these people as they find it extremely hard to put on wieght. your latest journal entry said you ate 1200 kcal which as you excercise is no way near enough and hence the answere to your very low weight. in your case i would say no it was not healthy or normal for your body to be at that weight.

buzzybee i don't even know where to start- you ate 600 kcal a day and freaked out when you went over 1200!! you're 15. you are definately not supposed to be at this weight you are starving yourself- this will lead to problems in the future if yu do not deal with it now! wantinf to purge your milkshake is disordered thinking and so i don';t know how you can 'feel' healthy!

sorry to be harsh but by telling these peple that its ok withough actually looking at the individual case it is just encouraging them to carry on down this unhealthy and dangerous road!!! trust me i should know!

sorry typo at end of first paragraph i mean its due to UNDEREATING!!

Hey Jade-100 since you went on my profile did you notice my new goal?  I'm trying to up my weight and I posted that before I relized what I was doing was wrong.  92 pounds cannot be a good thing at my age and people are worried about me.  So I gave myself an ultimatum.  Gain weight or lose a lot of things that I love about my life.  Starting with my life in general.  I know that this doesnt have anything to do with the post but I just wanted to make sure you know that I'm not anorexic.

Also I do not condone or beautify this upon anyone, its wrong and stupid.  DONT DO IT!!

Love Eun Chan

perhaps i was a bit harsh and i'm sorry if it came out that way. i know how hard the road to health is and if you're on your way then well done and good luck!!!

I think you're fine at your weight as long as you are not starving yourself. I am also, by definition, "underweight," but don't look like I am, either because I have a small frame or higher percentage of body fat. Your BMI is not a natural characteristic of your body, like brown hair or blue eyes - it is made up by human beings, and therefore is not perfect. If you see your doctor regularly, he/she will probably know better than we will if you need to gain weight or if you are fine. My doctor is not so strict about such issues and he even thought I was fine when I weighed a lot less. I think the BMI scale is more for statistical purposes than individual analysis, anyway.