Healthy weight gain: how to gain weight after illness

What are the health effects of being underweight?

Being underweight can mean you have low levels of vitamins and minerals, and can also affect how well your immune system works. This means you can be at greater risk of developing another infection, and can make recovery slower.

How can you tell if you’re underweight?

If you’re unsure whether you’re underweight, many GP surgeries and pharmacies have machines that calculate body mass index (BMI), or you can use our BMI calculator if you know your height and weight. A BMI below 18.5 is classed as underweight.

Healthy foods to help you gain weight

Instead, look for foods that are good sources of protein as well as higher in calories, such as dairy products, nuts, seeds and oily fish. Use whole milk and dairy products until your weight is within a healthy range, then switch to lower-fat choices.

• Get high-protein breakfast ideas 
• Find out which types of fish are good for your heart

Some quick and easy meal ideas to help you put on weight:

• Whole-milk porridge topped with nuts (or nut butter) and fruit
• Avocado and poached egg on toast
• Jacket potato with baked beans and cheese
• Peanut butter and banana sandwiches
• Milky drinks

If you continue to lose weight, seek help from your GP. Once you’ve regained weight, start to cut down on the higher-calorie foods so that you stay at a healthy weight.

• Visit our recipe finder to discover for more heart-healthy recipes

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