When is bmi obese

So if the children are not the same age and the same sex, the interpretation of BMI has different meanings. For children of different age and sex, the same BMI could represent different BMI percentiles and possibly different weight status categories.

See the following graphic for an example for a year-old boy and a year-old boy who both have a BMI-for-age of Note that two children of different ages are plotted on the same growth chart to illustrate a point. Normally the measurement for only one child is plotted on a growth chart. Obesity during childhood can harm the body in a variety of ways, now and in the future. Learn more about the health consequences of obesity for children.

A comparison of the Slaughter skinfold-thickness equations and BMI in predicting body fatness and cardiovascular disease risk factor levels in children. Body fat throughout childhood in healthy Danish children: agreement of BMI, waist circumference, skinfolds with dual X-ray absorptiometry. Vital Health Stat. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

Healthy Weight, Nutrition, and Physical Activity. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. On This Page. How is BMI calculated for children and teens? What is a BMI percentile and how is it interpreted? How is BMI used with children and teens? Is BMI interpreted the same way for children and teens as it is for adults?

Why can't healthy weight ranges be provided for children and teens? How can I tell if my child is overweight or has obesity? Can I determine if my child or teen has obesity by using an adult BMI calculator? The calculation is based on the following formulas:. With the metric system, the formula for BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Because height is commonly measured in centimeters, divide height in centimeters by to obtain height in meters.

Calculate BMI by dividing weight in pounds lbs by height in inches in squared and multiplying by a conversion factor of For adults 20 years old and older, BMI is interpreted using standard weight status categories. These categories are the same for men and women of all body types and ages.

BMI is interpreted differently for children and teens, even though it is calculated using the same formula as adult BMI.

These percentiles were determined using representative data of the U. Obesity among 2- to year-olds is defined as a BMI at or above the 95 th percentile of children of the same age and sex in this to reference population.

For example, a year-old boy of average height 56 inches who weighs pounds would have a BMI of For adults, the interpretation of BMI does not depend on sex or age. Read more about interpreting adult BMI. The correlation between the BMI and body fatness is fairly strong 1,2,3,7 , but even if two people have the same BMI, their level of body fatness may differ The accuracy of BMI as an indicator of body fatness also appears to be higher in persons with higher levels of BMI and body fatness While, a person with a very high BMI e.

However, athletes may have a high BMI because of increased muscularity rather than increased body fatness. In general, a person who has a high BMI is likely to have body fatness and would be considered to be overweight or obese, but this may not apply to athletes.

People who have obesity are at increased risk for many diseases and health conditions, including the following: 10, 17, For more information about these and other health problems associated with obesity, visit Health Effects. A comparison of the Slaughter skinfold-thickness equations and BMI in predicting body fatness and cardiovascular disease risk factor levels in children.

Body fat throughout childhood in healthy Danish children: agreement of BMI, waist circumference, skinfolds with dual X-ray absorptiometry. Comparison of body fatness measurements by BMI and skinfolds vs dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and their relation to cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents. Comparison of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometric and anthropometric measures of adiposity in relation to adiposity-related biologic factors. Association between general and central adiposity in childhood, and change in these, with cardiovascular risk factors in adolescence: prospective cohort study.

BMJ , , p. Estimates of excess deaths associated with body mass index and other anthropometric variables. Relation of body mass index and skinfold thicknesses to cardiovascular disease risk factors in children: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

Comparison of bioelectrical impedance and BMI in predicting obesity-related medical conditions. Weight that is higher than what is considered healthy for a given height is described as overweight or obesity.

A high BMI can indicate high body fatness. Note: For individuals, BMI is screening tool, but it does not diagnose body fatness or health.

If you have questions about your BMI, talk with your health care provider. BMI does not measure body fat directly, but BMI is moderately correlated with more direct measures of body fat obtained from skinfold thickness measurements, bioelectrical impedance, underwater weighing, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry DXA and other methods 1,2,3.

Furthermore, BMI appears to be strongly correlated with various adverse health outcomes consistent with these more direct measures of body fatness 4,5,6,7,8,9.

A comparison of the Slaughter skinfold-thickness equations and BMI in predicting body fatness and cardiovascular disease risk factor levels in children. Body fat throughout childhood in healthy Danish children: agreement of BMI, waist circumference, skinfolds with dual X-ray absorptiometry. Comparison of body fatness measurements by BMI and skinfolds vs dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and their relation to cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents.

Comparison of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometric and anthropometric measures of adiposity in relation to adiposity-related biologic factors.

Association between general and central adiposity in childhood, and change in these, with cardiovascular risk factors in adolescence: prospective cohort study.