Sarah M's List: Body Mass Index (BMI)

• Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person's weight and height

• Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a child's weight and height

  • BMI is a more accurate way of assessing your weight than just comparing it to the weight of your peers. Because of everyones' different sizes and builds, it is unrealistic to assume that everyone of the same age should weigh relatively the same. 
• For children and teens, BMI is age- and sex-specific and is often referred to as BMI-for-age.
• Percentiles are the most commonly used indicator to assess the size and growth patterns of individual children in the United States.
• The percentile indicates the relative position of the child's BMI number among children of the same sex and age.
• BMI is used as a screening tool to identify possible weight problems for children
• For children, BMI is used to screen for obesity, overweight, healthy weight, or underweight

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