What is Childhood Obesity? How is it measured?
- Body mass index (BMI) is a measure used to determine childhood overweight and obesity.
- Overweight is defined as a BMI at or above the 85th percentile and below the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex.
- Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex.
- BMI is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of height in meters. For children and teens, BMI is age- and sex-specific and is often referred to as BMI-for-age.
- A child's weight status is determined using an age and gender specific percentile for BMI, rather than the BMI categories used for adults. This is because children's body composition varies as they age (growth) and varies between boys and girls.
- Weight Status Category: Percentile Range
Underweight: Less than the 5th percentile
Normal or Healthy Weight: 5th percentile to less than the 85th percentile
Overweight: 85th to less than the 95th percentile
Obese: 95th percentile or greater
(Barlow, Freedman, & Whitlock, 2015)