Being skinny is one thing, being underweight is another. Just as being overweight can increase your risk of chronic disease and poor health outcomes, being underweight is often associated with malnutrition, poor bone health, and fertility issues (1,2,3,4).
The easiest way to tell if you are under a normal body weight for your height and age is by checking your body mass index (BMI). A BMI below the normal range could mean you are underweight, but ultimately you’ll want to check in with your doctor or a registered dietitian for more guidance. Get your BMI in less than a minute using this free BMI calculator.