Obesity during childhood can increase the likelihood of having heart problems later in life. High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol Both of these conditions develop over time and put you at risk for heart disease. Long-term potential health consequences of a high BMI percentile in children include: If left untreated, sleep apnea can cause complications with the heart and lungs over time.Īsthma Children with a BMI showing they’re overweight or obese are at a higher risk of developing asthma than children who have a normal BMI. A BMI suggesting obesity puts children at a higher risk for developing the condition. Sleep Apnea Sleep apnea causes breathing to stop and start irregularly during sleep. The obesity epidemic has fueled a rise of type 2 diabetes diagnoses in children, and 40 percent of this group is asymptomatic. Prediabetes or Type 2 Diabetes If poor eating habits and weight gain are left unchecked, kids can develop prediabetes or type 2 diabetes at an early age. Immediate potential health consequences of a high BMI percentile in children include: (1) “Children with a body mass index percentile at the 95th percentile have a greater chance of maintaining obesity into adulthood,” says Dr. Censani. How BMI Can Affect Your Health and Wellness “There are times when we’ll start an intervention before a kid gets to the 85th percentile because BMI is going up quickly,” he says. Whether you’re overweight or not, everyone in the household can benefit from eating nutritious food and exercising. Ganjian doesn’t advise waiting for BMI to get into the trouble zone before you make healthy lifestyle changes. Record their weight as it appears on the scale to the nearest decimal point.Have your child take off shoes and any heavy clothing, and stand with both feet in the center of the scale.Use a digital scale that’s placed on hard, even flooring.Then use a measuring tape to measure from the bottom of the floor to the mark. Make a mark on the wall where the bottom of the flat surface touches the top of your child’s head.Using a flat surface, such as a ruler or a piece of cardboard, make a right angle on the wall and lower the item until it reaches the top of the child’s head.Your child’s body (head, shoulders, butt, and heels) should be flat against the wall.Their line of sight should be parallel with the floor. Make sure their legs are straight and their arms are at their sides with level shoulders.Stand them on a flat floor against a flat wall with no floor molding.Have your child take off shoes, hats, or hair accessories.You’ll need to take accurate height and weight measurements first. For example, the CDC has an online BMI calculator that allows you to plug in a child’s age, sex, height, and weight. To calculate your child’s BMI percentile on your own, try using online resources like apps and calculators, recommends Marisa Censani, MD, a pediatric endocrinologist and director of the Pediatric Obesity Program at NewYork-Presbyterian’s Komansky Center Children’s Hospital and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. How to Calculate Your Child’s BMI Percentile on Your Own The red portion is associated with childhood obesity. This chart compares a child’s BMI (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) with his or her age. As a child gets older, his or her weight, height, and amount of body fat change, so the best practice is to compare children with other children of the same age and sex. He recommends that all parents focus on prevention by keeping tabs on their children’s nutrition and exercise habits.īMI for children is sometimes referred to as “BMI-for-age,” because age is one factor that’s considered. “Right now, the obesity epidemic is probably the worst it’s ever been,” says Daniel Ganjian, MD, a pediatric obesity specialist at Providence Saint John’s Physician Partners in Santa Monica, California. In 2017–2018, about 1 in 5 kids of school age in the United States were obese. Data from the CDC suggest that since the 1970s, childhood obesity has tripled. ( 1)Ĭhildhood obesity is a pressing issue. Children whose weight puts them in the 95th percentile, or heavier than 95 percent of children their age, are considered obese. What Is BMI, and Why Does Your Child’s Number Matter?īMI is a scale that defines obesity by taking body weight and height into account. American children are increasingly tipping the scale, and the extra weight is putting them at risk for immediate and future health complications, including depression, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.īut how do you know if your child is overweight or obese?ĭoctors maintain that the way to tell involves a term you may already be familiar with: BMI, or body mass index.
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