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Underweight | BMI-for-age < 5th
percentile |
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At risk of overweight | BMI-for-age 85th percentile to < 95th percentile |
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Overweight | BMI-for-age > 95th percentile |
BMI decreases during the preschool years, then increases into adulthood. The percentile curves show this pattern of growth. |
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Example
Let's look at the BMI for a boy as he grows. While his BMI changes, he
remains at the 95th percentile BMI-for-age.
Age BMI Percentile 2 years 19.3 95th 4 years 17.8 95th 9 years 21.0 95th 13 years 25.1 95th We see how the boy's BMI declines during his preschool years and increases as he gets older.
Why is BMI-for-age a useful tool?
BMI-for-Age is used for children and teens because of their rate of
growth and development. It is a useful tool because
For the 2000 CDC Growth Charts and Additional Information visit CDC'S National Center for Health Statistics.
For more information on how to use the growth charts visit The Growth Chart Training Modules.
1 Hammer LD, Kraemer HC, Wilson DM, Ritter PL, Dornbusch SM. Standardized percentile curves of body-mass index for children and adolescents. American Journal of Disease of Child. 1991; 145:259–263.
2 Pietrobelli A, Faith MS, Allison DB, Gallagher D, Chiumello G, Heymsfield, SB. Body mass index as a measure of adiposity among children and adolescents: A validation study. Journal of Pediatrics. 1998; 132:204–210.
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This page last updated April 08, 2003
United
States Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity