Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

Why is being too thin a bad thing?

34 Answers
Last Updated: 10/25/2016 at 12:51pm
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Elena Morales, LMHC

Licensed Professional Counselor

I believe silence creates a cycle. With empathic and collaborative therapy, we break the cycle. I help clients feel validated and supported passed anger, shame, and anxiety.

Top Rated Answers
PeppermintHeart
May 5th, 2015 11:28am
A low body weight and poor nutrition can lead to severe health problems, such as osteoporosis, vitamin deficiencies, infertility and heart problems. A lack of nutrition also has negative impact on the way your brain works and makes you more prone to depression and other mental health issues. I am of course only talking about underweight as a result of malnutrition - it is possible to be naturally thin even when eating enough and healthy. In that case it would be good to see a doctor to make sure there are no underlying health problems and the low weight has no negative effect on one's health. Please take care. x
EnchantingFairy
January 17th, 2016 3:04pm
If you are too thin and barely eating, your body doesn't have enough resources to function. When someone is too thin, they are probably not giving their bodies enough nutrients, so the body begins to break down: instead of relying on food for energy, it gets its energy from itself, meaning that the muscles and organs degrade so that the body can work. The heart is a muscle, so the heart is being stressed and becoming smaller and smaller, which can lead to serious complications, including a heart attack, and heart attacks are not a walk in the park! Similarly, the organs degrade too. If organs degrade, the body can't perform its functions: the liver stops working, the pancreas stops working, body functions aren't regulated. If the organs don't work, here again there are issues that may lead to serious consequences. That is why being too thin a bad thing: the body can't work and the person could be in serious trouble.
Dreamer49
January 25th, 2016 3:59pm
Being too thin is not a bad thing, neither is being not thin, everybody is unique and beautiful :)
starryRiver83
March 14th, 2015 6:51pm
Being too thin as in underweight is unhealthy, just as being overweight is unhealthy. But maintaining an unhealthy weight or even losing weight further could result in more dangerous health problems and even be fatal.
courageousBeauty49
November 2nd, 2015 7:01pm
I think as long as you are healthy, that "too thin" doesn't really exist. Staying healthy is important as we go through life, if you are on the thin side, that isn't a bad thing as long as you are healthy!
Anonymous
February 6th, 2016 1:29am
Because you aren't taking in all the vitamins, chemicals and other nutrition necessary to keep your body functioning. This will damage your immune system. Also, too litte fat reduces insulation, you have a lot less energy and therefore get things done less efficiently; and many organs are unprotected. For example, kidneys need a layer of fat surrounding them because they are very vulnerable and easy to damage.
Anonymous
July 7th, 2015 3:14pm
it depends whether you are naturally thin ,whether your slim or whether its unhealthily thin/ skinny
CatValentine
January 14th, 2016 1:13pm
It isn't! As long as it's natural. If that's the way your body reacts to the healthy food you put in your body, then looking the way you do is beautiful. What's not natural is keeping your body from receiving the nutrients it needs, and therefore you temporarily loose weight. This form of 'too skinny' is extremely unhealthy and dangerous
GypsyLight
June 29th, 2015 4:01am
It isn't so much that being too thin is bad, however being unhealthy is. If you are thin, but in good health mentally and physically then that is perfectly fine. If you are starving yourself, that raises need for concern as it is not healthy for you in any fashion.
Anonymous
October 4th, 2015 6:27pm
Being too thin--by which I mean at an unhealthy weight for your body--is very, very dangerous. It can lead to some very serious health problems, many of which can be permanent even after you regain your health, or even to death. Anorexia nervousa is actually the most deadly mental illness because of how dangerous being 'too thin' is. It can do a lot of damage to many, many different areas of your body.
MeowMom
January 20th, 2016 6:22pm
It's not a bad thing, as long as you're healthy. The only opinion that matters is your trusted health professional.
TowersOfIvory
February 6th, 2016 12:59pm
Being underweight can pose a number of health risks including osteoporosis, or low bone density, brain shrinkage, and, for women, infertility.
KirstyCustard123
January 30th, 2016 11:30pm
Being too thin isn't necessarily the problem, but if you aren't eating enough it means your body isn't getting all the nutrition it needs! This can be really damaging to your body is many ways and if it's long-term then the damage may be irreversible and could even lead to death.
NaturalVision18
January 31st, 2016 9:01pm
Being too thin can cause multiple health problems, depending on the reason for you being too thin you may not be getting all the needed nutrients to be healthy, Your organs may suffer. and many other things.
Red4ever30
February 3rd, 2016 6:50pm
Media plays a lot on portraying women to be the perfect thin body. The damage that is done physically and mentally being too thin is devastating and hard to recover from.
MaggieListens00
February 4th, 2016 10:54pm
Well when you have to put "too" in front of something then it's never a good thing right I ate too much I'm too large I'm too skinny etc your body can get to such a point where instead of burning fat the body will begin burning muscle because it needs the fat reserves for the energy you're not consuming :( you're the person who needs to recognise what is TOO skinny and what's attractive
Anonymous
January 22nd, 2016 5:31pm
Body shape is not necessarily an issue, healthiness is the concern, you could be thin and unhealthy or healthy and large and unhealthy or healthy.
elliejade
February 10th, 2016 5:30pm
Well being too thin can make your period stop, (you may think that is a good thing), stopping you from getting pregnant and perhaps even having a baby in the future. For guys, it stops them from producing good or any sperm. For the both it can cause fatal illness and even death.
TheGreyFixer
February 12th, 2016 9:50am
When you push your body too far it will have an adverse effect on your health. Whether that's eating too much or too little, not exercising enough or exercising excessively, you're putting a lot of strain on your system and that can lead to complications such as bone and muscle weakness, lower levels of organ function and lowered immune system efficiency. Of course, some people are naturally thin or naturally large, and that's fine. You can be healthy at a wide range of different shapes and sizes, and no one should be commenting on that or shaming you for it. It's the methods some people use to achieve these sizes that can be unhealthy, not the sizes themselves.
Anonymous
May 23rd, 2016 2:02pm
Well I'm pretty thin myself I don't think it's a bad thing but some people do, it could mean your not eating how you should not looking after yourself right so that is a bad thing. But some people can't help being thin some people are just like it
Anonymous
June 6th, 2016 5:57am
It's bad for your health, mental and physical. But this really depends on your definition of 'too thin'. There is a BMI that is appropriate for all heights and ages. I would say if you are at or just slightly under your BMI that isn't a problem, But if you are more than a few numbers under your BMI that is unhealthy mentally and physically for you.
dancingMist97
October 25th, 2016 12:51pm
We have to change the idea of being "thin" and "fat" to being "unhealthy" and "healthy". Everyone has a different genetic make- up, Some people a short, tall, broad, petite. It's who we are. So yes, some people may be naturally thin. Being too thin is only a concern when there are negative thoughts or unhealthy eating habits associated with it.
Anonymous
January 29th, 2016 5:37am
society sees all things as bad in different situations, so its important to not be influenced by outside opinions. body image doesn't matter when health is in order.
Anonymous
January 27th, 2016 4:52pm
There are a lot of medical risks associated with being underweight e.g malnutrition , hormonal imbalances etc. being too thin could also be a sign of anorexia nervosa which requires medical treatment .
beYOUtiful365
- Expert in Eating Disorder
January 27th, 2016 12:53am
Being too thin is a bad thing when it affects your health. When one is thin, he/she is malnourished, therefore not eating enough to maintain a healthy weight. This can cause negative effects to one's body.
Anonymous
January 24th, 2016 10:50pm
It's unhealthy for you, it's okay to work towards a better body as long as you do it safely. It's dangerous not to eat enough, you can seriously hurt yourself.
Gladi8orPrincess
January 17th, 2016 7:44pm
It is extremely unhealthy for your body and it can cause major damage as you become older. Especially a lot of health problems because your body lacks many essential vitamins and nutrients.
Adhuri
January 15th, 2016 6:57pm
On other sense it is a good thing. You can eat what ever you like. Yes you may have so many deficiencies to over come by eating balanced diet
Crest
January 14th, 2016 3:13am
If you want a complete sheet of bad effects of being underweight on your heart, then I am directing you elsewhere.
Anonymous
January 12th, 2016 9:30am
It's not. No matter how you look you will be someone's whole world. Just because someone or a few people don't like the way you look doesn't mean the whole world does.