| Centile Range | Weight Status Category |
|---|---|
| Less than 5% | Underweight |
| 5% to 85% | Healthy weight |
| 85% to 95% | At risk of overweight |
| Greater than or equal to 95% | Overweight |
| Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - National Center for Health Statistics | |
| Last Reviewed Date: 07/06/2023 | |
The child's Body Mass Index (BMI) tells us whether their weight is appropriate for their height. Instead of using BMI categories used for adults, BMI for children is given as a percentile. Since children continue to grow until around age 20, their age and whether they are a boy or girl are also used to calculate the BMI percentile.
For children and adolescents aged 2 to 20, the BMI calculator takes into account age, gender, as well as height and weight.
The child's BMI is given as a "centile." The centile number indicates how the BMI compares with other children of the same age and gender as a percentage.
For example, a girl in the seventy-fifth (75th) percentile means she is heavier than 75% of other girls of the same age.
In this calculator, we used the BMI categories for children and adolescents aged 2 to 20, recommended by the "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)" of the United States National Public Health Agency, as mentioned in the previous table.