Is My Child Overweight?
Date: 09/20/17
Being able to tell whether a child is overweight is not always easy. The amount of a child’s body fat changes with age. It is also different for boys and girls. One way of checking if your child is overweight is by his or her Body Mass Index (BMI).
BMI is a measure of body weight when compared to height. The BMI calculator will tell you whether your child’s weight is healthy. You will need your child’s height, weight, and sex to find out what range he or she falls into.
Doctors use charts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to track your child’s growth. The charts contain a number called a percentile. This shows how your child’s BMI compares with the BMI of other children.
The main categories for children are:
· Healthy Weight: 5th to 84th percentile
· Overweight: 85th to 94th percentile
· Obese: 95th percentile or higher
You can find out if your child is overweight by using this calculator.
If your child is overweight, it may increase the chances that your child will develop health problems. Problems can develop now or later in life. Some of these problems can include:
- Type 2 Diabetes
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol
- Heart Disease
- Some Types of Cancer
Children may also experience teasing, bullying, depression, or low self-esteem. If you are concerned about your child’s weight, talk to your child’s doctor.
Regular Well-Child Checkups allow you to check your child’s overall health and growth over time. If your child is at risk, your doctor can tell you if weight management may be helpful.
Even if your child is not overweight, he or she should get a Well-Child Checkup once every year, from age 2 to age 21. Your child can earn rewards for Well-Child Checkups. Your child will get $10 for every annual checkup from ages 2 through 21.
[Reference: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/helping-your-child-who-is-overweight]