The American Obesity Treatment Association states that an obese child has a 68 percent probability of being an obese adult. Parents wanting to determine whether their children are overweight or obese may choose to have their body mass index or BMI calculated. While it does not measure body fat directly, it is a reliable alternative and provides a good indication of the amount of body fat you carry. The measurement is based on relating your height to your body weight.
Calculating BMI
The body mass index is calculated the same way for children as it is for adults. Your body weight is divided by your height. Your weight in pounds is divided by the square of your height in inches, and multiplied by a conversion factor of 703. In the metric system, your weight in kilograms is divided by the square of your height in meters.
Interpreting BMI in Children
Although the BMI calculation for adults and children is the same, the interpretation is different. The amount of body fat a child carries differs between boys and girls, and changes with age. Age and gender are not considered when interpreting adult results, but must be taken into consideration with children. To accommodate this, growth charts are used.
The BMI Percentile
BMI results for children are plotted on gender specific BMI-for-age growth charts. This allows a child to be placed in the percentile ranking for growth and development of children of the same age and gender. Children who fall between 5th and 85th percentile are considered to have a healthy weight. Below the 5th percentile is underweight, 85th to below 95th percentile is overweight and 95th percentile and above is obese.
Healthy Body Weight for Children
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention purports that healthy weight ranges for children cannot be established for the following reasons: The healthy weight ranges change monthly for each gender, and change as a child's height increases. Even though it is not a diagnostic tool, calculating the BMI for your child and having it plotted on an appropriate chart will identify weight problems in your child.
Problems Associated with Obesity in Children
Medical problems that could possibly afflict an obese child include heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. In addition to these medical implications, the social stigma often associated with the condition can damage the child's self esteem. Proper diet and physical activity can help keep your child's weight under control and in the normal BMI percentile.
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