This module calculates Body Mass Index for children (up to 18) and classifies the result.
Steps:
- Enter values for height and weight.
- The result is interpreted within three categories: Normal weight, Overweight abd Obesity.
- The number under "Limits for this age" reprecents the age specifik upper limit for Normal weight and Overweighth.
BMI is used differently with children than it is with adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The same charts are used to establish BMI but what it means is different. As children grow, their body fatness will change over the years. The interpretation of BMI depends on the child's age. Additionally, girls and boys differ in their body fatness as they mature. Therefore, BMI-for-age is plotted on gender-specific growth charts. Each of the CDC BMI-for-age gender specific charts contains a series of curved lines indicating specific percentiles. Healthcare professionals use the following established percentile cutoff points to identify underweight and overweight in children:
- Underweight BMI-for-age less than 5th percentile
- At risk of overweight BMI-for-age 85th percentile to less than 95th percentile
- Overweight BMI-for-age 95th percentile or above