Normal Height & Weight For Kids

Parents start guessing the day their children are born how tall they will grow. Will they be taller than Dad? Shorter than Mom? Many parents don't give a thought to how much their child will weigh. While both measurements are important to follow as your child grows and matures, stay especially aware of how much your child weighs.

Average Height and Weight Measurements.

There is very little we can do as parents to change the growth pattern of a child's height. Genetics will establish whether they will grow taller than average, shorter than average or just average. Maintaining a growth pattern along a steady percentile line of a growth chart will be important to monitor as your child matures. Substantial deviations from a growth chart line will lead to cause for concern that you may discuss with your child's pediatrician. It is more important to follow your child's weight as he grows. With the number of overweight and obese children skyrocketing, you need to know where your child falls in regard to weight with relation to age, sex, and height. The easiest way to asses your child's weight is to calculate your child's Body Mass Index.

Body Mass Index

Your child's BMI is calculated by assessing height relative to weight. The American Heart Association uses the following calculation. Multiply weight in pounds by 703, then divide by height in inches, then divide by height in inches again. Compare your child's BMI to a chart found at the Center for Disease Control's website at www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/growthcharts/charts.htm. Any BMI over the 85th percentile is consider overweight and over the 95th percentile is considered obese. According to the American Heart Association, of children age 2 through 19, approximately 30 percent of non-Hispanic whites are over weight, approximately 35 percent of non-Hispanic blacks are overweight and 38 percent of Mexican Americans are overweight.

Risks for Overweight Children

The health risks for overweight and obese children are virtually the same as an overweight adult. The CDC states that overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. Heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and some forms of cancer occur more frequently in overweight children compared to children of a normal weight. Type 2 diabetes has seen dramatic rise in children who are overweight. Children are also at risk for emotional problems such as low self-esteem and depression associated with bullying and a lack of inclusion with their peers.

How Children Become Overweight

Children in this day and age have a large volume of sedentary activities in which they can choose to participate. Television, videos games and computers all offer fun ways to spend an afternoon without having to leave a chair. The CDC reports that 43 percent of adolescents watch more than two hours of television each day. Combine this inactivity with mindless snacking on fattening, sugar-laden foods and several trips a week to a fast food restaurant, and children begin to gain weight. Parents who are overweight and don't model appropriate nutrition and exercise will have a dramatic impact on their children's weight.

How To Maintain Your Child's Healthy Weight

Parents need to the guiding factor in influencing their children's nutrition and exercise. Parents who model healthy eating and physical activity can positively influence their children's health, says the AHA. Have your children eat only when they are hungry and not as a mindless habit. Enjoy a family meal together as often as possible. Maintain a good supply of fresh fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk and yogurt in the refrigerator. Strive to have your children consume five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Children should daily participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity. Cap television, computers and video games to only one hour per day. Participate in a healthy lifestyle as a family. Hike, go on bike rides, play sports or swim together to build a solid support system for a healthy lifestyle.