Determining if a Child is Overweight

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Body Mass Index or BMI is a tool for indicating whether an adult (21 years or older) is underweight, normal, overweight, or obese - based on weight and height.

BMI for Children and Teens (or BMI-for-Age) is used to assess whether a child (2-20 years) is underweight, overweight, or at risk for overweight. Children's body fatness changes over the years as they grow. Also, girls and boys differ in their body fatness as they mature. This is why BMI for Children and Teens is gender and age specific and requires the use of charts.

Calculate Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI-for-Age Charts

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definitions for children:

• Underweight = < 5th percentile
• Normal = 5th - 85th percentile
• At risk for overweight = 85th percentile
• Overweight = 95th percentile

• Boys BMI-for-Age Chart (PDF)
• Girls BMI-for-Age Chart (PDF)