Childhood is a key time for development and growth, and a healthy weight is crucial for long-term health. The body mass index (BMI) is used to evaluate whether children are developing at a healthy pace, allowing parents and healthcare professionals to track growth patterns and detect potential health issues.
You can use the BMI calculator to track your child’s height-to-weight ratio based on age for accurate calculations. Keep reading to learn about BMI in kids, the calculation method, the use of BMI calculators, and more.
Body mass index (BMI) measures a child’s weight and height ratio. It is an estimator of body fat and provides a convenient way to classify children by their weight in relation to their height.
In contrast to adults, where BMI is classified into fixed categories, the BMI of children is assessed on the basis of age- and sex-specific percentiles because of their different growth rates.
This implies that the BMI of a child needs to be compared with that of other children of the same gender and age to determine whether or not they are within a healthy range.
Here is how you can calculate a child’s BMI:
BMI = Weight (lbs)×703 / Height2 (inches)
Alternatively, if using metric units, the formula will be:
BMI = Weight (kg) / Height2 (meters)
If a child weighs 16 kg and stands 3 feet tall (1.219 meters), the formula would be:
BMI = 16 / 1.2192 = 10.767
Considering the complexities of manual calculation, you can use a BMI calculator from reliable websites like Star Health Insurance for accurate results.
What is a BMI Calculator for Kids?
A BMI calculator for kids is an online tool that aims to make the body mass index calculation easier and error-free. Parents enter the child’s height, weight, age, and sex into the calculator, and it provides:
These calculators are useful for considering age and sex-related differences in growth patterns that may be lost when calculating by hand.
The CDC provides growth charts which categorize the BMI table of children into percentiles:
|
Category |
Percentile Range |
|
Underweight |
Below 5th percentile for gender, age, and height |
|
Healthy Weight |
5th percentile to less than 85th percentile for gender, age, and height |
|
Overweight |
85th percentile to less than 95th percentile for gender, age, and height |
|
Obese |
Equal to or greater than 95th percentile for gender, age, and height |
|
Severe Obesity |
120% of the 95th percentile or greater, or 35 kg/m2 or greater |
These charts assist healthcare professionals in identifying whether the child’s weight is suitable for his or her height and age level.
How to Interpret the BMI Results in Kids?
With BMI percentiles, you can compare the measurements of a child with other children of the same age and gender. For instance, if a child’s BMI is in the 50th percentile, then 50% of the kids of the same age and gender (whose BMI have been calculated) had lower BMI.
In this regard, there are certain factors to keep in mind:
BMI should be viewed as a trend rather than an individual number, as individual measurements can misrepresent a child’s growth. While it is a valuable indicator of healthy development, it is not a perfect measure of body fat. Thus, consult a healthcare provider if you have concerns about your child’s weight changes.
What are the Risks of Being Overweight in Kids?
Obese children are exposed to many health risks that are likely to last into adulthood. Some of these include:
It refers to a chronic diabetic condition in which the blood contains high glucose levels. Obesity in children can lead to such conditions.
Being overweight can increase the risks of heart disease in children due to high blood pressure and cholesterol. As per records, one in 70% of kids with overweight problems is diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases.
Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder characterized by shallow or paused breathing during sleeping, which interrupts sleep. Obesity may also cause breathing problems during sleep, leading to sleep apnea.
Excessive body weight may exert pressure on the kids’ joints, leading to pain and mobility issues.
Obese children can develop low self-esteem, depression, or anxiety because of social stigmatization. This can cause mental issues if not taken care of at the right time.
What are the Risks of Being Underweight in Kids?
Underweight children also face significant health challenges:
Kids who are underweight do not get proper nutrition, leading to a deficiency of certain nutrients in their food. This can impact their health in multiple ways.
Children with poor body weight are most likely to have lower immunity. This exposes them to infections and other diseases.
If a child is underweight and suffering from chronic nutritional deficiencies, it can slow down their physical and mental development.
Due to poor body weight, children may face bullying and teasing, which can lead to lower self-esteem. Moreover, it can affect their mental health at certain points.
What are the Limitations of BMI in Kids?
While BMI is a useful screening device, it also has its limitations. Here are some of them:
Monitoring a child’s development with instruments such as the BMI calculator is crucial to maintaining healthy development. Yet, new research indicates other measures, such as waist-to-height ratio, can be superior in evaluating the risk of obesity in children. Thus, parents need to consider several factors while assessing their child’s health.
As parents strive for healthier lifestyles, exploring health insurance for kids is necessary to cover their medical needs. Insurance provides parents with comfort regarding medical payments for children’s illnesses. Investing in health insurance ensures families receive essential medical care as they steer their kids through their developmental years.
For more information on Star Health Insurance for kids, call us today!