How is BMI calculated and interpreted for children and teens?
Calculating and interpreting BMI using the BMI Percentile Calculator involves the following steps: 1. Before calculating BMI, obtain accurate height and weight measurements. 2. Calculate the BMI and percentile using the Child and Teen BMI Calculator. The BMI number is calculated using standard formulas. 3. Review the calculated BMI-for-age percentile and results. The BMI-for-age percentile is used to interpret the BMI number because BMI is both age-and sex-specific for children and teens. These criteria are different from those used to interpret BMI for adults which do not take into account age or sex. Age and sex are considered for children and teens for two reasons: The amount of body fat changes with age. (BMI for children and teens is often referred to as BMI-for-age.) The amount of body fat differs between girls and boys. The CDC BMI-for-age growth charts for girls and boys take into account these differences and allow translation of a BMI number into a percentile for a child’s or
