1. What is BMI for Children?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure that adjusts body weight for height. For children, BMI is age- and sex-specific and is referred to as BMI-for-age. It's compared to growth charts to determine percentiles.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the standard BMI formula:

Where:

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

Note: For children, the BMI value is plotted on CDC growth charts to determine the percentile ranking.

3. Importance of BMI Calculation

Details: BMI-for-age is the recommended measure for screening overweight and obesity in children aged 2-19 years. It helps identify potential weight problems that may lead to health issues.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kg, height in meters, age in years (2-19), and select gender. For most accurate results, measure height and weight without shoes and with light clothing.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What do BMI percentiles mean?
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 varies with age and sex, so BMI must be interpreted relative to peers of same age and sex.

Q3: How often should children's BMI be checked?
A: Annually is recommended, or more frequently if weight concerns exist.

Q4: Are there limitations to BMI?
A: BMI doesn't distinguish between fat and muscle. Athletic children may have high BMI without excess fat.

Q5: Where can I find CDC growth charts?
A: CDC growth charts are available at https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/