Weight Gain for High School Sports

First, I would ask the coach why he wants your son to gain 10 to 15 pounds. Is it because he is actually underweight? Then, by all means, help him gain weight sensibly and responsibly.

However, if your son's BMI (body mass index) is in the normal range, the coach may want him to gain weight because he is smaller than most of the other players. If so, I would calculate his BMI with a 10- to 15-pound weight gain, and if it is still in the normal category, I would consider helping him gain weight.

If the coach just wants everyone to gain as much weight as possible so he can have a big, tough front line to win games—and especially if your son's BMI is in the "at risk of overweight" or "overweight" category (or, by gaining this weight, he will be in one of those categories)—then it's not a good idea at all.

If you decide the weight gain makes sense, there are lots of ways to do it safely and healthily. I would suggest increasing protein (perhaps by drinking protein shakes for snacks), increasing lean meats such as turkey or chicken roll-ups and increasing intake of low-fat dairy products such as yogurt or low-fat chocolate milk. Maintain your son's five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, but feel free to put on toppings such as low-fat cheese, peanut butter, etc. Also, make sure your son eats breakfast daily and has an evening snack. He should be eating plenty of complex carbohydrates such as pasta and wheat bread.