Younger sister to the Kardashian clan, model Kendall Jenner is making headlines for her comments and views on her weight. Though the 17 year-old's figure has helped her break into the modeling world, Kendall says she has suffered considerable backlash surrounding her slender shape. In a new magazine shoot and interview for Harper's Bazaar Arabia Jenner speaks out about how taunts about her weight hurts.

'I'm constantly criticized for being too skinny,' she explains. 'I'm trying to gain weight but my body won't let it happen. What people don't understand is that calling someone too skinny is the same as calling someone too fat, it's not a nice feeling."

Two questions come to mind. The first, is Kendall trying to gain weight for herself or for others? The second, what is the healthiest way to put on weight? Being a little underweight is not necessarily a problem, says American Dietetic Association president-elect Sylvia Escott-Stump, RD. "If you are comfortable, able to function and exercise, weighing a little less than your ideal body weight is not a problem and studies show it is associated with good health outcomes," Escott-Stump says. Some common reasons for the need to gain weight according to doctors might include health issues, lack of appetite, fueling sports, building muscle, or just trying to overcome skinny genes. At the young, vibrant age of 17, we're thinking Kendall might be "suffering" from the latter.

Bullying is such a chronic problem today, and it seems Kendall is yet another victim of its cruelty. As self-professed beauty gurus, we know that looking beautiful starts with feeling beautiful first. The key is to give your mind a mental makeover, difficult in the face of bullies and harsh critics. But if trying to put on weight the healthy way, Dr. Charles J. Cattano says there is no substitute for being healthy. "There is no substitution for a healthy diet, regardless if the goal is weight gain or loss," he explained. "Weight gain is achieved if the individual takes in more calories than he/she burns." Unlike weight gain, however, overcoming poor body image is not an exact science. Dr. Nicole Hawkins agrees.

"It is critical to remember that many aspects of your body cannot be changed. Genetics play a role in your body and at least 25% to 70% of your body is determined by your genes. While there are many aspects of your body we cannot change, you can change or modify your beliefs and attitudes, which influence the way you feel about yourself. Change starts with you."