Multiply their height (in inches) by itself Your pediatrician will measure your child's height and weight with their shoes and heavy clothes off, and then calculate BMI with this formula: Body-Mass Index FormulaĢ. These measures look at a child's growth in relation to children of the same age and sex to figure out if they are within a healthy weight range. Instead of just using the BMI number as is done with adults, we look at BMI percentiles.
We know that children are constantly growing, and do so at different rates.
This number helps doctors understand if a person’s weight is in a category such as underweight, overweight or obese that may be putting their health at risk. In simple terms, a person's Body Mass Index or BMI, is a measure of weight in relation to height.
But what does it mean, and why is it important to your child's health? Read on for information about how BMI is calculated, what ranges pediatricians like to see in children, and why BMI -while important -can have limitations. You may hear the term body mass index or 'BMI' during your child's checkups, or even at your own health visits.
