Body Mass Index (BMI) is an extremely useful measurement to understand whether a child’s weight is within a healthy range. It allows parents to understand the health needs of their kids and support their mental and physical development.
This might also be helpful for parents to detect the possible risks of their children being overweight, underweight, or obese at an early stage. Let’s explore how to calculate the BMI for children, its differences from adults, and the benefits of using a BMI calculator for kids to monitor your child’s healthy growth.
What is BMI, and Why is It Important for Children?
BMI helps assess whether the weight of children corresponds to their height. It is calculated by taking the weight of the child in kilograms and dividing it by square height in meters.
However, BMI does not provide an accurate assessment of health in children since the proportions of body fat will change with growth. Thus, instead of being calculated as a simple number, a child’s BMI is interpreted in terms of percentiles, which show how a kid’s BMI stands relative to all of their peers of the same age and gender.
The BMI percentile is a means of classifying weight into four groups: underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obese. For this reason, parents and healthcare providers should consider percentiles because they offer a more thorough meaning of health for children and assist in preventing long-term issues with diabetes, heart disease, and mental health.
How to Use the BMI Calculator Kids?
The BMI calculator for kids has made analyzing body mass index pretty simple. Follow this step-by-step procedure below in order to figure out your children’s BMI using this calculator:
Step 1: Select the gender of your children from the given options (Male/Female/Third Gender).
Step 2: Enter their age in numbers (Years) under the “Age” section.
Step 3: Insert your children’s height in feet (feet) and inches (inches) or centimeters under the “Height” section.
Step 4: Now put their weight in kilograms (kg) under the “Weight” section.
Step 5: Lastly, click on the ‘Calculate’ button in order to find their BMI.
DIY Method to Calculate BMI for Kids
Apart from kids BMI calculator, there are some simple DIY steps that you can use to compute your children’s Body Mass Index:
Step 1: Determine your child’s weight (in pounds) and multiply the numeral by 703.
Step 2: Then, square his or her height in inches by multiplying it by itself.
Step 3: Then divide the result of the first step by the result of the second step.
For example, if a child is 3 feet 5 inches tall, which equates to 42 inches, and weighs 44 pounds:
44 pounds’ x 703 = 30,932
42 inches x 42 inches = 1,764
30,932 / 1,764 = 17.54
This results in a value for the child’s BMI of 17.54. Now, to determine if it is a healthy range, refer to the BMI percentiles chart for children.
What are the BMI Percentiles for Children?
The BMI chart for kids has been framed according to different weight categories as shown:
| Category of Weight in Kids | BMI Results |
| Underweight | The BMI is in the 5th percentile of the same sex, age, and height. |
| Normal Weight | BMI is larger than or equal to the 5th percentile. However, it is less than the 85th percentile for height, age, and sex. |
| Overweight | BMI is 85th percentile or more, but it is lesser than the 95th percentile for sex, age, and height. |
| Obese | BMI is at the 95th percentile or more for height, age, and sex. |
For instance, a 6-year-old boy with a 75th percentile BMI has a higher BMI than 75 out of 100 6-year-old boys.
Using a BMI calculator for kids is an extremely easy and efficient method for parents to track the health of their child. With frequent checks of your child’s BMI and then comparing the outcome using a BMI chart for kids, you will easily be able to detect possible health problems at an early stage and take proper measures.
Keep in mind that a healthy BMI is essential to the long-term well-being of your child. For additional support in securing your child’s health, consider the best health insurance. This will ensure that your family gets the necessary medical care when needed without affecting your hard-earned savings.
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FAQs about Body Mass Index for Kids
1. How to calculate BMI for kids and teens?
Here are some steps to compute BMI for kids and teens:
- You should first measure the kid’s height and weight.
- After this, you need to enter the kid’s weight, height, gender, and age into the CDC’s Child and Teen BMI Calculator.
- Click on ‘Calculate’ to get the BMI kids results.
2. What are the demerits of BMI calculator for kids in India?
One of the major demerits of BMI calculators for kids in India is that they often give inaccurate results. This is because they fail to estimate overall body composition and cannot differentiate between muscles, bones, and fats in children.
3. Which factors should be considered when determining the BMI status of a child?
Doctors need to consider your child’s growth status, the height and weight history of your family, and pre-existing health conditions to determine your child’s BMI level.
