You see peers of all shapes and sizes in the locker room and you can't help but compare yourself. Some are bigger, some are smaller, and many are just as self-conscious as you. In reality, no one weight is "normal" or "ideal" for all teens because teens develop on diverse timetables and they have different body types.
Puberty Changes Weight
When children enter puberty, their bodies start to create hormones that cause physical changes such as additional muscle growth in guys, excess fat storage in girls and increased height for both guys and girls. According to the Nemours Foundation, the average person may grow up to 10 inches during puberty. These extreme changes naturally correlate with weight gain. Since not all teens develop at the same time, however, two teens of the same age and same height may be two different weights.
About Body Mass Index
Body mass index, or BMI, is a common formula doctors use to help determine whether their patients are in a healthy weight range for their height, according to the Nemours Foundation. Although BMI isn't a direct measure of body fat, it can effectively screen most teens for potential health problems.
Calculating Teen BMI
Since teens' weights and heights vary so much, calculating a teen's BMI is slightly different from calculating an adult's BMI. An adult's BMI number would simply be placed directly onto a chart that assesses whether he is underweight, a healthy weight, overweight or obese. A teen's BMI number, on the other hand, would be placed on an additional chart--called the BMI-for-age chart--which compares his number with teens of the same age and gender, according to the Nemours Foundation.
A Proper Diagnosis
After a teen's number is compared with others of the same age and gender, she is given a certain percentile; if she is in the 10th percentile for weight, she weighs less than 90 percent of teens the same age and gender. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a teen is considered underweight if she is under the 5th percentile, a healthy weight if she is at the 5th percentile or under the 85th percentile, overweight if she is at the 85th percentile to under the 95th percentile and obese if she is at or over the 95th percentile. Although a teen may be considered overweight purely based on numbers, a true diagnosis requires assessments including an evaluation of her diet and physical activity, recording of her family history and a test of her skinfold thickness.
Ask a Doctor
If you think you are underweight or overweight, discuss your concerns with your doctor. She can assess your weight and determine whether you should or shouldn't try to lose or gain any. If your doctor says you should gain or lose some weight, she may offer diet and exercise recommendations or refer you to a registered dietitian.
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