![]() ![]() So for children, the number on a scale is not the only important factor when it comes to their weight status, but also what their height, age and sex are. This is because of the significant differences in the range of heights and weights that a child of 6 years of age can have. For example, a BMI of 22 in adults falls into the “healthy weight” category, though a BMI of 22 in a 6-year-old child would be in the obesity range. BMI PercentilesĪs kids are constantly growing taller and their bodies are changing, we cannot use the same BMI cut-offs for adults. Nowadays, it’s usually not a paper growth chart that we look at with families, as BMI percentiles are automatically calculated in the electronic health record or an online calculator. Most importantly, the 2000 growth charts included information on BMI. In 1977, new growth charts were introduced based on more representative data and then updated again in 2000. The most widely used growth charts from the 1940s to the 1970s were based on measurements of white children in Iowa and Boston. So like all things pediatric, we use the growth chart! Growth charts have been in use since the early 1900s, but previous versions had plenty of problems – they didn’t include preschool-aged children and didn’t represent all children in the U.S., particularly those from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds and different areas of the country. It’s the same calculation for children and adults – weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared:įor children, we don’t look at raw BMI (a number usually between 18-40) but instead, we look at BMI percentiles, taking into account the child’s sex and age. Similar to adults, we do use body mass index, or BMI, to take height and weight into account together. Talking about a child’s growth, height and weight involves nuance and is more complicated than evaluating an adult’s weight status. Most children should gain weight as they get older – they are growing muscles and bones, which weigh a lot! So it is nearly impossible to tell a parent what their child “should” weigh. Throughout childhood and adolescence, their level of adiposity, or how much fat-to-lean mass they have, changes as they get older. ![]() Children are constantly growing and changing, and they go through growth spurts at different times. Learn about Childhood/Adolescent Obesityīy Joseph Skelton, MD, MS and Callie Brown, MD, MPHĪs pediatricians, we frequently get asked by parents, “what should my child weigh?” A common saying in pediatrics is that “kids are not little adults,” and this is particularly important when considering a child’s weight. ![]()
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