Bmi Chart With Instructions (Page 2 of 4) in pdf

After BMI is calculated for children and teens, the BMI number is plotted on the CDC BMI-for-age

growth charts (for either girls or boys) to obtain a percentile ranking. Percentiles are the most

commonly used indicator to assess the size and growth patterns of individual children in the United

States. The percentile indicates the relative position of the child's BMI number among children of the

same sex and age. The growth charts show the weight status categories used with children and teens

(underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obese).

For children and teens, BMI-for-age weight status categories and the corresponding percentiles are

shown as follows:

Weight Status Category

Percentile Range

Underweight……………………………

Less than the 5th percentile

Healthy weight………………………….5th percentile to less than the 85th percentile

Overweight……………………………...85th to less than the 95th percentile

Obese…………………………………...Equal to or greater than the 95th percentile

3. Review the calculated BMI-for-age percentile and results. The BMI-for-age percentile is used to

interpret the BMI number because BMI is both age-and sex-specific for children and teens. These

criteria are different from those used to interpret BMI for adults — which do not take into account age

or sex. Age and sex are considered for children and teens for two reasons:

•

The amount of body fat changes with age. (BMI for children and teens is often referred to as

BMI-for-age.)

•

The amount of body fat differs between girls and boys.

The CDC BMI-for-age growth charts for girls and boys take into account these differences and allow

translation of a BMI number into a percentile for a child's or teen's sex and age.

Resource: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010), About BMI for Children and Teens,

Retrieved on 6/23/10 from

BMI calculated

Bmi Chart With Instructions Page 2