In 2023, the AAP released the Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Obesity 2 to inform pediatric healthcare providers about the standard of care for youth with overweight and obesity and related comorbidities. Having a high BMI-for-age percentile is associated with clinical risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure 3, and other chronic conditions. Her BMI is 129% of the 95 th percentile, which is class 2 obesity based on the expanded definition of severe obesity. Class 3 Obesity: BMI ≥140% of the 95 th percentile or BMI ≥40 kg/m 2įor example, a 15-year-old girl who is 63.7 inches tall (50 th percentile for height) and weighs 210 pounds would have a BMI of 36.4 kg/m 2, placing her at the 99 th percentile for her age and sex.For example, a girl on the 80th percentile has a BMI score higher than 80 out of 100 other girls her age. This shows how your childs BMI compares to other children of the same sex and age. Class 2 Obesity: BMI ≥120% to This means that the boy’s BMI is greater than the BMIs of 96% of 10-year-old boys in the reference population.Īn expanded definition of severe obesity is used by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 1: Child BMI categories and their corresponding sex- and age-specific BMI percentiles are in the following table: BMI-for-age weight status categories and the corresponding percentiles BMI Categoryĥ th percentile to less than the 85 th percentileĨ5 th percentile to less than the 95 th percentileġ20% of the 95 th percentile or greater OR 35 kg/m 2 or greaterįor example, a 10-year-old boy who is 54.5 inches tall (50 th percentile for height) and weighs 96 pounds would have a BMI of 22.5 kg/m 2, placing him at the 96 th percentile for his age and sex, which is in the obesity category. Includes the 3 rd, 10 th, 25 th, 50 th, 75 th, 90 th, 97 th percentiles.

The CDC Growth Charts display sex-specific BMI-for-age percentile curves and can be used to monitor the growth of children and teens aged 2-19 years.īMI categories for children and teens are based on sex- and age-specific BMI percentiles, whereas BMI categories for adults are based on BMI only. Includes the 3 rd, 15 th, 50 th, 85 th, 97 th and the 99.9 th percentiles. As a result, BMI values need to be expressed relative to other children of the same sex and age. Because children and teens are growing, the ranges of height, weight, and BMI vary by age and sex. Body mass index (BMI) is an anthropometric index of weight and height that is calculated by dividing a person’s weight (in kilograms) by the square of their height (in meters).

Bmi children's calculator