1 Underweight (BMI below 18.5): If you were underweight for your height you should gain 28 to 40 pounds. 2  Overweight (BMI of 25 to 29.9): If you were overweight for your height you should gain 15 to 25 pounds. 3  Obese (a BMI of 30 or higher): If you were obese for your height you should gain between 11 and 20 pounds.
In the UK, the most common causes of malnutrition in children are long-term health conditions that: 1  cause lack of appetite. 2  disrupt the normal process of digestion. 3  cause the body to have an increased demand for energy.
Malnutrition is estimated to contribute to more than one third of all child deaths, although it is rarely listed as the direct cause.Lack of access to highly nutritious foods, especially in the present context of rising food prices, is a common cause of malnutrition.Poor feeding practices, such as inadequate breastfeeding, offering the wrong foods, and not ensuring that the child gets enough nutritious food, contribute to malnutrition.Infection â particularly frequent or persistent diarrhoea, pneumonia, measles and malaria â also undermines a child's nutritional status.oor feeding practices, such as inadequate breastfeeding, offering the wrong foods, and not ensuring that the child gets enough nutritious food, contribute to malnutrition. Infection â particularly frequent or persistent diarrhoea, pneumonia, measles and malaria â also undermines a child's nutritional status.