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Healthy Weight for Your Height

Height to Weight Ratio for Children

Children not only come in all shapes and sizes, but they all also grow and develop at different rates. While a normal height and weight for one child may differ from the norm for another.It may be hard for you to tell if your child is overweight. As children grow and develop, some weight changes are normal. Your child's height and weight provide a window into her overall health.

If you’re concerned about your child’s weight, talk to your family doctor. Your

doctor will use a chart to find out your child’s ideal weight. If your child is heavier than 95% of other children who are the same age and height, he or she is considered to be overweight.

Growth Chart Features

A growth chart is used to measure and compare a child's growth with what is considered normal for that child's age and gender. The nationally accepted growth charts are based on measurement data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics. They take into consideration height, weight, head circumference, and body mass index (BMI).

Height and weight measurements are used to document a child's:

Height or length (in inches or centimeters)

Weight (in ounces and pounds, or grams and kilograms), based on age in weeks, months, and years
Height in children under age 3 is measured while they lie down. Children age 3 and older are measured while they stand. Height and weight measurements are recorded and graphed until the child is 20 years old.

Head circumference is a measurement of the size of the head taken by wrapping a tape measure above the eyebrows and around to the back of head. For specific information on this topic, see head circumference.

It is recommended that a child's body mass index (BMI) be calculated to screen for overweight beginning at 2 years of age. BMI is an important tool for identifying and preventing obesity.

Growth chart measurements are compared with the standard (normal) range for children of the same gender and age. The measurements are important because they may provide an early warning that the child has a medical problem. For instance, during the first 18 months of life and particularly during early infancy, abnormal growth of the head can alert the doctor to a problem.

Head circumference growth that is too rapid may be a sign of hydrocephalus (water around the brain), a brain tumor, or other conditions that cause macrocephaly (abnormally large head). Growth that is too slow may be a sign of problems in brain development, early fusion of sutures (the bones of the skull), or other problems.

Insufficient gain in weight, height, or a combination may indicate failure-to-thrive, chronic illness, neglect, or other problems.

Abnormal growth according to the growth charts is only a sign of a potential problem. Your doctor will determine if it represents an actual medical problem or if the child's growth simply needs to be watched carefully. Because of individual variations in genetics and hormones, growth charts are not an accurate predictor of a child's future, full-grown height.

Importance of Body Mass Index

Head circumference is less relevant for children older than 3 because brain development is more advanced then. However, body fat becomes more significant because it can indicate if a child is at risk of joining the increasing number of people who are overweight or obese. Health-care professionals determine your child's body fat by calculating his body mass index. They also compare the BMI figure to other children of the same age and gender to help to determine if your child's weight is appropriate.

BMI Caluclator

Using Body Mass caluclator, you can figure out if your child is at an appropriate weight for his or her height.

BMI is calculated using a formula that measures weight in kilograms in ratio to height in meters squared. BMI determines whether a weight is appropriate for a given height. The formula for and guidelines on children's BMI are different from the formula and guidelines for adults.

To calculate your child's BMI, begin by weighing your child on an accurate scale and measuring your child's current height. The CDC provides guidelines on how to weigh and measure your child accurately. Next, do the following steps:

Convert your child's height to inches.
Multiply your child's weight by 703.
Divide this number by her height in inches.
Divide the resulting number by her height in inches.
Use a child's BMI chart to locate the percentile that your child falls into.

BMI Caluclator for Children

Growth Charts used by US health care providers  Click Here

Standard Procedure to Measure Weight and Height of Children Click Here

Measure your child's Weight and height at Home Accurately Click Here