Can you be underweight but still be healthy?

[Rawiyah]

So, I don't want to sound silly or anything, but I was just wondering.

I used to be underweight according to my BMI, but I felt a lot more healthy then when I was underweight than I do now that I am supposedly "normal weight" according to my BMI.

I was only underweight by like, twenty or so pounds, but still... I felt better. I gained about twenty pounds while on medication in the last year and I just want to go back to the weight I was before the meds.

So yeah. Can you still be healthy while being underweight?

 

[Danielle]

I think everyone is different. BMI is just an average measurement, so if you're slightly under or over, I don't think you're unhealthy. Many factors influence this: Genetics, exercise, the way you eat, etc.

I'm underweight. I always have been. I'm even more underweight now since I lost 13lbs when I had mono. There are other reasons that I'm underweight, though, and I'm not healthy. I know that.

It really depends!

 

[Potato]

Yes.

Basically, having a healthy weight but being mostly fat isn't healthy, I knew a girl that was stick thin, and she had 35% body fat, that's pretty much obese AND underweight.

Being slightly underweight but being fit isn't bad.

 

[Rebecca Chambers]

Not really. If you're underweight, by definition you are not of a healthy weight.

 

[lauren]

Pretty sure it's possible to be under or over weight in terms of BMI and still be fit and healthy