1. What is BMI-for-age?

BMI-for-age is a measure that takes into account a child's age and sex when assessing their body mass index. Unlike adult BMI, children's BMI is interpreted relative to other children of the same age and sex.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the standard BMI formula adjusted for children's growth patterns:

Where:

• \( weight \) — Body weight in kilograms
• \( height \) — Height in meters

Explanation: The result is compared to growth charts to determine the child's percentile for their age and sex.

3. Importance of BMI Calculation for Children

Details: Tracking BMI-for-age helps identify children who are underweight, at healthy weight, overweight, or obese. Early identification allows for timely intervention.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms, height in meters, age in years (2-20), and select gender. For accurate results, measurements should be taken with minimal clothing.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What BMI percentile ranges are significant?
A: Underweight (<5th), Healthy weight (5th-85th), Overweight (85th-95th), Obese (≥95th).

Q2: Why use BMI-for-age instead of regular BMI?
A: Children's body composition changes with age and differs between boys and girls. BMI-for-age accounts for these normal growth patterns.

Q3: How often should children's BMI be checked?
A: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends annual BMI screening from age 2.

Q4: Are there limitations to BMI-for-age?
A: It doesn't distinguish between fat and muscle mass. Very muscular children may be misclassified.

Q5: Where can I find growth charts to interpret the results?
A: CDC growth charts are commonly used (https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/).