After understanding the importance of monitoring and basic concepts related to children’s weight status in part 1, we go deeper into research: how to establish a scientific nutritional diet for children to gain weight in a healthy and sustainable way. Since nutrition is the source of life energy, the decisive factor for outstanding growth as well as a bright future for children.

1. Golden rules in creating a diet for children in need of weight gain

To realize the goal of gaining weight for children, mastering the basic principles of nutrition is a prerequisite. A scientific diet not only provides enough energy but also ensures the balance and diversity of nutrients.

Sufficient energy and balanced nutrition are the key for children to gain weight

Ensure energy input is higher than maintenance needs

This is the most basic principle for children to gain weight. Children need to consume more calories than they burn for daily activities and basic metabolism. This increase needs to be calculated reasonably, usually an increase of about 15-20% compared to the recommended energy needs according to the child’s age, or according to specific instructions from a doctor/nutritionist. Parents need to monitor closely to adjust accordingly, avoiding rapid weight gain that causes unwanted fat accumulation.

Balanced and diverse nutrient groups

The quality of meals, reflected in the balance and diversity of nutrient groups, is the decisive factor in children’s healthy weight gain and comprehensive development.

•     Protein: These are considered the “building blocks” of muscles, cells, and important enzymes in the body. Protein needs in children who need to gain weight are often higher. Parents should prioritize high-quality protein sources from animals such as beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs, milk, dairy products, and a portion of vegetable protein from beans.
•     Fat: Is the most concentrated source of energy (1g of fat provides 9 kcal, twice as much as protein and carbohydrates). Fat also helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). Moreover, in young children, fat is also the raw material for building cell membranes, especially nerve cells. Therefore, parents should prioritize healthy fats from vegetable oils (olive, soybean, sunflower, canola oil), avocado, nuts, and animal fats such as chicken fat, fish fat in their children’s daily diet.
•     Carbohydrates: The main source of energy for all body activities, especially the brain. Choose complex carbs rich in fiber such as rice, sweet potatoes, potatoes, oats, whole grains, and whole wheat bread.
•     Rich in vitamins and minerals: These are micronutrients that are needed in small amounts but are extremely important for a series of metabolic and developmental processes of the body. Especially important for children who need to gain weight:

–       Zinc: Stimulates taste buds, helps children eat better, strengthens the immune system, and promotes growth.

–       Iron: Prevents iron deficiency anemia, supports brain and physical development.

–       Vitamin B group (B1, B2, B6, B12…): Participates in the energy metabolism process, allows children to absorb nutrients better and have a good appetite.

–   Vitamin A, D, C, Selenium: Strengthen the immune system, protect the body, support bone development (especially Vitamin D and Calcium).

Ensure food safety and hygiene

An indispensable principle, and can be seen as an invisible shield protecting all nutritional efforts, is to ensure food safety and hygiene in children’s meals. Choosing fresh, clean food with clear origin, along with proper processing and preservation procedures is not simply a recommendation but a mandatory requirement. This allows children to avoid the risk of food poisoning, acute diarrhea, and other intestinal infections, which are hidden enemies that directly hinder the absorption of nutrients and make the child’s weight gain goal become impossible. A healthy digestive system, not attacked by pathogenic bacteria, can function optimally to fully absorb the valuable nutrients that parents have worked hard to prepare. Remember, no matter how rich and balanced the meal is, if hygiene is not ensured, all efforts can become meaningless, even harmful to the child’s immature health.

2. Energy and nutrient enhancement strategies for children to gain weight scientifically

Mastering the principles is not enough, parents need to know how to apply them skillfully to optimize the amount of calories and nutrients in each meal, especially for children with poor appetite or small stomach capacity, who have difficulty eating a lot at one time.

Increase the energy density of children’s meals

For children with poor appetite or small stomach capacity, increasing the energy density in each serving is an extremely effective solution. There are a number of ways for parents to increase the energy density of food for children as follows:

•     Add 1-2 teaspoons of vegetable oil (olive oil, sesame oil, soybean oil) or healthy fat (chicken fat, fried lard) to each bowl of porridge, flour, rice or soup for your child.
•     Use whole milk, cheese, and unsalted butter in cooking (for example, add cheese to porridge and soup; use butter to stir-fry vegetables).
•     Increase the amount of pureed or chopped meat, fish, eggs, beans… in each child’s meal.

Increase the number of meals and choose smart snacks

Young children, especially those who need to gain weight, often cannot eat enough food in just 3 main meals. Therefore, dividing the portion by adding more snacks as well as choosing smart snacks is an effective solution:

•     Increase the number of meals: In addition to 3 main meals, children need to be supplemented with 2-3 nutritious snacks. Snacks should not be too close to the main meal (about 1.5 – 2 hours apart) so as not to affect the child’s appetite during the main meal.
•     Choose energy-rich and nutritious foods for snacks:

–       Milk and whole milk products (whole yogurt, cheese).

–       Energy-rich fruits such as avocado, banana, mango.

–       Nutritional cookies, flan, smoothies…

“Golden” food recommended for children to gain healthy weight

Choose nutritious foods for your child to gain weight effectively

Choosing the right foods determines the effectiveness of a weight gain diet. Instead of focusing on just a few “fattening” dishes according to folk beliefs, nutritionists encourage parents to diversify their menus and prioritize foods that are both rich in energy and provide abundant essential nutrients.

Protein-rich group – The foundation for building the body

This is an indispensable food group to build and develop muscle mass, allowing children to gain weight firmly.

•     Animal sources: Meat (beef, chicken, lean pork), fish (especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, basa fish rich in Omega-3), eggs (complete protein source), milk and dairy products (formula, whole milk, Greek yogurt, cheese).
•     Plant sources: Tofu, beans (soybeans, mung beans, kidney beans, lentils), nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews – in powder form or nut butter for babies).

Healthy fat group – Abundant source of energy

Fats provide abundant energy and aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins..

•     Vegetable oils: Olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, gac oil.
•     Avocado: Rich in monounsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals.
•     Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds (need to be ground or made into butter for young children to avoid the risk of choking and increase absorption).
• Fish fat (especially from fatty fish): Provides Omega-3 (DHA, EPA) which is great for the brain and vision. Chicken fat, pork fat (use in moderation, processed to ensure hygiene).

Starch-rich group – Sustainable energy source

Provides the main energy for brain and physical activity.

•     Whole grains: Rice (especially brown rice), oatmeal, whole wheat bread, vermicelli, pho, noodles made from whole wheat flour.
•     Tubers: Sweet potatoes, potatoes, taro, cassava.
• Naturally sweet fruits: Bananas, mangoes, grapes (also provide vitamins and minerals).

Vegetable and fruit group – “Treasure” of vitamins, minerals, and fiber

Although not directly providing as much energy as the above groups, vegetables and fruits are extremely important in supplementing essential vitamins, minerals, and especially fiber. Fiber helps children’s digestive system work smoothly, prevents constipation, creates a favorable environment for beneficial bacteria to grow, thereby enhancing the ability to absorb other nutrients, indirectly supporting the weight gain process.

•     Diverse choices: According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), children should consume a variety of vegetables and fruits every day to ensure adequate micronutrient supply and disease prevention.
•     Seasonal preference: Parents should choose seasonal vegetables and fruits to ensure freshness, high nutritional content, and limit pesticides.
•     Appropriate preparation method: Prepare soft, easy-to-chew foods such as steaming, boiling, making soup, making smoothies. For example: carrots, broccoli, pumpkin, spinach, banana, papaya, avocado, mango.

Harmoniously combining, diversifying, and flexibly changing foods from the four groups above makes children’s meals not only be nutritious, provides sufficient energy to gain weight but also be attractive, stimulate taste buds, and allow them to form healthy eating habits early.

4. Important tips for scientific weight gain

Nutrition is the key, but to help your child gain weight effectively and sustainably, parents need to pay attention to other important supporting factors, from psychology to lifestyle habits.

Nurture a love of food and create a positive mealtime atmosphere

Fun meals makes children be excited and eat more deliciously

Mealtime shouldn’t be a “fight” but a time of fun, connection.

•     Do not force: Forcing children to eat can cause negative experiences, making them afraid of food and psychological anorexia.
•     Create a happy, comfortable atmosphere: The whole family eats together and chats gently.
•     Be patient when introducing new foods: Children may need to be exposed to a new food 8-15 times, or even more, before they accept and like it.
• Get your child involved in meal preparation: This can stimulate their curiosity and interest in food.

Digestive care – The golden foundation for absorption

A healthy digestive system is a key factor in determining the ability to absorb nutrients, which directly affects the child’s weight gain. Therefore, parents should:

•     Supplement enough fiber from vegetables and whole grains to prevent constipation and nourish beneficial bacteria.
•     Make sure your child drinks enough water.
•     Consider digestive support solutions when needed: Probiotics balances the intestinal microflora. These are living microorganisms that, when supplemented in sufficient amounts, bring health benefits to us. However, their actual mechanism of action does not stop at “adding” beneficial bacteria. When entering the intestine, these probiotics interact with the environment, compete with harmful bacteria, and most importantly, carry out the fermentation process. From this process of activity and fermentation, they create extremely beneficial by-products. Postbiotics are biological compounds or cell components of beneficial bacteria that have been inactivated, created during the fermentation process of beneficial bacteria. Therefore, it can be understood that: Probiotics is a popular solution, like sowing seeds (live beneficial bacteria) and waiting for them to germinate, grow to produce sweet fruit. And Postbiotics is a more advanced, revolutionary choice, when we directly harvest the “sweet fruit” (nutrients). Supplementing Postbiotics directly helps the body immediately absorb beneficial compounds, bypassing risks such as probiotics being destroyed by stomach acid or not being compatible with the intestinal system. This ensures a more precise, stable and safer effect for users.

Grasping these outstanding advantages, Nutricare Medical Nutrition Institute – USA (NMNI-USA) and Nutricare have researched and applied Postbiotics technology to advanced nutritional solutions for children. A typical example is Metacare Opti, a breakthrough application of Postbiotics probiotic technology with 30 billion probiotics along with HMO and soluble fiber FOS/Inulin to support a healthy digestive system, allowing to reduce constipation, indigestion and enhance the ability to absorb nutrients in children.

In addition to supporting the digestive system, Metacare Opti with its formula of up to 60 essential nutrients along with easily absorbed whey protein, lysine, zinc, helps children eat better and gain weight steadily. At the same time, the product is also supplemented with a trio of nutrients Nano Calcium, Vitamin K2, Vitamin D3 to maximize calcium absorption, contributing to promoting children’s outstanding height development. With this comprehensive formula, Metacare Opti is one of the advanced nutritional solutions, meeting the needs of comprehensive growth, especially for children in the stage of needing to catch up with growth in both weight and height.

Establish a regular biological rhythm for eating and resting

A scientific activity schedule plays an important role.

• Fixed meal times: Daily feed at fixed times forms a natural hunger reflex and regulates the digestive system of children.
•     Adequate and quality sleep: Deep sleep and adequate hours (according to age) are very important as this is the time when the body, especially the brain, recovers and growth hormone (GH) is secreted the most, supporting the physical development and weight gain of children.

Encourage age-appropriate physical activity

Exercise does not make children “lose strength” but on the contrary, brings many benefits to the weight gain process.

•     Boost metabolism: Helps the body use energy more efficiently.
•     Stimulates appetite: After exercise, children tend to have better appetite.
•     Musculoskeletal development: Allows children to gain weight in the direction of muscle mass development, becoming toned and healthy.
•     Improve sleep: Reasonable exercise enables children to sleep better and deeper.
• According to the World Health Organization, children and adolescents should have at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. Encourage outdoor activities such as running, swimming, cycling… depending on the age and interests of the child.

Be persistent, consistent, and seek companionship when needed

The journey of children to gain weight requires perseverance and consistency from the whole family.

•     Don’t get discouraged: Results may not come immediately. It is important to maintain a positive attitude and apply the correct scientific methods.
•     Consistency in care: There needs to be agreement among family members on how to care for and raise children.
• Seek professional advice: Don’t hesitate to seek advice from a nutritionist or pediatrician. They can make an accurate assessment of your child’s condition and develop a personalized, most appropriate intervention plan.

5. When to take your child to see a specialist?

Despite parents’ efforts to apply nutritional measures at home, some children still need to be examined and consulted by medical professionals:

•     Children who do not gain weight or have prolonged weight loss (for example, over 2-3 months) despite receiving intensive nutritional care.
•     Children have accompanying symptoms: Prolonged diarrhea, frequent vomiting of unknown cause, persistent fever, fatigue, pale skin, lack of flexibility.
•     Children have severe anorexia, refuse most foods, or only eat certain foods.
• Parents feel too worried, stressed, and need advice and in-depth support from a nutritionist or pediatrician. Experts conduct comprehensive assessments, look for underlying causes, and provide individualized intervention plans for each case.

Conclusion

The journey of your child to achieve a standard weight and develop healthily requires parents to be persistent, knowledgeable, and apply a scientifically based nutritional method. The article provides basic knowledge on how to recognize underweight, common causes, and practical solutions from building a balanced, energy-rich, nutrient-rich diet to practical advice on daily health care for children.

Scientific nutrition allows children to gain weight properly

Remember, the ultimate goal is not just the numbers on the scale, but to help your child gain weight in a healthy way, develop comprehensively both physically and mentally, and create a solid foundation for the future. Do not hesitate to seek advice from nutritionists or pediatricians when necessary, so that every step on the journey of raising your baby is always steady, scientific, and effective.