4/22/2024 0 Comments Bmi calculator for children metricFor example, Asians may be at risk for health problems at a lower BMI than Caucasians.īecause of the possibility for error, BMI should be just one of many gauges used to assess a person's weight status and health. BMI may also relate differently to various ethnic groups. Although their BMI might be within a normal range, they could still be overweight. The BMI is not always accurate in elderly adults, who have often lost muscle and bone mass. Many NFL players have been labeled "obese" because of their high BMI, when they actually have a low percentage of body fat. For example, BMI doesn't distinguish between body fat and muscle mass, which weighs more than fat. It's important to note that although BMI is accurate most of the time, it may overestimate or underestimate body fat. In the next section, we'll learn about some of the controversy associated with using BMI. A boy and girl of the same age may have the same BMI, but the girl could be of normal weight and the boy could be at risk for being overweight.ĭoctors say it's important with children to track BMI over time rather than looking at one individual number, because children can go through growth spurts. The normal BMI range becomes higher for girls as they mature, because teenage girls normally have more body fat than teenage boys. Although his BMI changes as he grows, he can stay at around the same percentile and remain at a normal weight. For example, if a 15-year-old boy is in the 75th percentile for BMI, 75 percent of boys of the same age have a lower BMI. You can view a complete set of the charts at CDC's growth chart page.Įach chart contains a set of curved lines indicating the child's percentile. It compares the results to those of other children of the same age and gender, and can help predict whether children will be at risk for being overweight when they get older. The BMI-for-age figures in a child's height, weight, and age to determine how much body fat he has. To take into account the differences between boys and girls and children of different ages, scientists have created a special BMI for children, called BMI-for-age.ĭoctors use a set of growth charts to track the development of children and young adults between the ages of two and 20. Girls and boys also have different body compositions. Young children naturally start out with high body fat, but tend to get leaner as they get older. In the next section we'll see how BMI is measured for children.įor more common questions and expert answers on fitness and exercise, visit. Diet choices, exercise, and smoking all combine to determine whether or not an individual is healthy. It's important to note that BMI is just one factor involved in determining risk for disease. Patients who are overweight, or at risk for being overweight, can start on a diet and exercise program to help them bring their weight down to a healthy range. On an individual basis, it enables doctors to identify weight problems in their patients before serious health conditions arise. In a broad sense, the BMI helps health officials get a general idea of how weight and obesity affect the health of the population. Similarly, being underweight can also lead to increased health risks due to malnutrition. Studies have indicated that being overweight or obese can significantly increase a person's risk for developing several diseases, including:
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