This means that the child’s BMI is greater than the BMI of 95% of 10-year-old boys in the reference population.įor adults, BMI is interpreted as weight status categories that are not dependent on sex or age. This would place the boy in the 95 th percentile for BMI, and he would be considered to have obesity. For example, a 10-year-old boy of average height (56 inches) who weighs 102 pounds would have a BMI of 22.9 kg/m 2. You'll learn whether your child's BMI falls into an underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese range. Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95 th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex. The Raising FIT Kids BMI Calculator computes your child's body mass index (BMI). A healthy weight - between the 2nd and 91st. The BMI calculator works out if a child is: Underweight - on the 2nd centile or below. So, a boy on the 60th centile is heavier than 60 out of 100 other boys of their age. These percentiles are calculated from the CDC growth charts, which were based on national survey data collected from 1963-65 to 1988-94 4. A childs BMI is given as a centile number which shows how their BMI compares with other children of the same age and gender. Due to changes in weight and height with age, as well as their relation to body fatness, BMI levels among children and teens are expressed relative to other children of the same sex and age. To calculate your BMI, enter your height and weight in the box given below and click Calculate BMI button. Is BMI interpreted the same way for children and teens as it is for adults?īMI is interpreted differently for children and teens even though it is calculated with the same formula. With individuals, health care providers should consider BMI along with other factors such as family history, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and eating patterns and physical activity level. A single BMI-for-age calculation is not enough to evaluate long-term weight status because your child’s height and weight will change as they grow. Tracking growth patterns over time can help you make sure your child is achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. The simplicity of the BMI formula has made it extremely popular as an initial diagnosing tool for determining a person's healthy body weight. If your child has significant weight loss or gain, he or she should be referred to and guided by a doctor or other healthcare provider. A BMI Chart or Body Mass Index Chart can be a useful tool for visualizing the ranges for underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obesity based on a person's height. Regardless of the current BMI-for-age category, help your child or teen develop healthy weight habits and talk with your doctor or other healthcare provider as part of ongoing tracking of BMI-for-age. For children and teens, BMI is age- and sex-specific and is often referred to as BMI-for-age. It is an inexpensive and easy way to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. Dates should be entered in 'm/d/yyyy' format. Enter your information into the form below, then click the Calculate button.

Body mass index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. The BMI-percentile-for-age calculator automatically adjusts for differences in height, age and sex, making it one of the best tools for evaluating a growing child's weight.

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