BMI stands for Body Mass Index, and it's calculated from a person's weight and height. BMI is a reliable indicator of health for most people, including children and teens.

Pediatrician Marla Abrolat, MD, says it is an important number that parents can use to gauge and help improve the health of their children.

"We calculate BMI and then obtain a percentile ranking that shows parents where their children stand," she says. "Especially in regard to weight."

But Dr. Abrolat cautions that BMI isn't just about an arbitrary weight measurement and it doesn't mean that children should be skipping meals and not "putting food in the tank."

For growing children and teens the most important percentile is BMI-for-age, which takes growth, age, and sex into account.

One way to determine BMI-for-age is to start by calculating your child's BMI. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has a simple BMI calculator that you can use online.

Children and teens aged 2 through 19 years should be screened to determine if they are overweight or obese. If your child’s BMI indicates that there may be a problem, there are steps that can be taken immediately. But remember, BMI is not the only diagnostic tool to determine the health of your child or teen. Schedule a visit with you pediatrician for more information.

Learn more details from the CDC on BMI and see sample growth charts.

filed in: Healthy Kids
subjects: bmi, childrens-health, exercise