A BMI of 14 is severely underweight for both males and females. With this in mind, the following 14 BMI guide discusses how maintaining such a low body weight could be harming your health.
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Is it bad to have a BMI of 14?
It’s bad to have a BMI of 14 from a physical health standpoint because low BMIs can lead to malnutrition, a weakened immune system, osteoporosis, irregular periods, and stunted growth in developing children.
Knowing this, it’s important that BMI 14 individuals gain weight to protect their long-term health. Indeed, a BMI of 14 is worryingly low in that if you lose any more weight, you could put your health (and life) at serious risk, if it isn’t already.
Of course, since people have a 14 BMI for different reasons, including illness, anorexia, excessive exercise, growth disorders, etc., it’s crucial that you talk to your doctor about your low body weight.
Many people who have a BMI of 14 can gain additional healthy weight by consuming more calories from whole foods, which will both nourish their body with vitamins and minerals while providing the energy that any functioning body needs.
What does a BMI 14 person look like?
A person with a BMI of 14 usually looks extremely thin and, some might say, worryingly malnourished, as if they’ve been starving.
Of course, nobody should be made to feel bad for looking a certain way, and some people are naturally much thinner than others. Still, it’s important to make the point that a person simply cannot enjoy good health while having a 14 BMI.
Similarly, some people lose large amounts of weight through illness or other unfortunate life events or circumstances, which can often lead to really low BMIs, like fourteen.
Even though you might feel that being underweight is not a major problem, the reality is that, in many cases, being underweight can be as bad, if not worse, as being overweight.
Therefore, professional help is your best bet if you have a body mass index of 14.
What does it mean if you’re BMI 14?
If you have a BMI of 14 or any of the following body mass index scores, then it means that you’re severely underweight for a person of your height and could be putting your life at risk.
14.1 BMI
Those with a BMI of 14.1 are very skinny and should seek a doctor’s help so that they can safely increase their body weight.
14.2 BMI
Considering that a BMI of 14.2 is less than half the average, it’s safe to say that such a body mass index is severely underweight and likely a sign of a serious problem.
14.3 BMI
If you have a 14.3 BMI, then your body weight is extremely low for a person of your stature. You may need professional help to safely increase your weight and to prevent further body mass reductions in the future.
14.4 BMI
A BMI of 14.4 is very low for both females and males and could be a sign that someone is suffering from a muscle-wasting illness, anorexia, sarcopenia, or a low appetite.
14.5 BMI
If you have a 14.5 BMI, then your body mass index score is a full four points into the underweight category. Therefore, those with a BMI of 14.5 are at an elevated risk of malnutrition and frequent illness compared to their normal-weight counterparts.
14.6 BMI
A 14.6 BMI is very much in the severely underweight category for both females and males. If you have a BMI of 14.6, then it’s likely that you have a problem, be it underlying or not, that requires medical attention.
14.7 BMI
Those who have a BMI of 14.7 could be risking their health, especially over the long term, by walking around at an extremely low body weight.
14.8 BMI
A BMI of 14.8 is less than half of the average, which goes some way to telling you that such a body mass index is much too low for a person to enjoy their best health (or anything close to it).
14.9 BMI
If you’ve got a 14.9 BMI, then your body weight is still in the severely underweight category for a person of your height.
Conclusion: How can you increase a body mass index of 14?
While some BMI 14 individuals may need a specific diet or treatment to safely increase their body weight, many people can gain weight by increasing their portion sizes and/or having an extra meal.
Obviously, since a 14 BMI can be indicative of eating disorders like anorexia, it’s not always as simple as just consuming more calories.
As such, if you struggle with your weight, you should talk to your doctor so that they can advise you on the best course of weight gain action.
Since a BMI of 14 is so skinny, you can gain a substantial amount of weight and still be very thin.