Question: What is BMI and should your child be tested?
Answer: BMI refers to Body Mass Index, which correlates with body fat. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all children have their BMI tested by their pediatricians. BMI is a mathematical formula that expresses height-to-weight ratio. Measured in kilograms, the person's body weight is divided by the square of his height in meters. Desirable BMI levels vary with age and circumstance.
Overweight, defined as a BMI of 25-29 for adults, refers to increased body weight in relation to height and may or may not be due to increased body fat. It may also be due to an increase in lean muscle.
Obesity, defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 30 for adults, is associated with an excessively high amount of body fat.
BMI for children and teens is based on gender and age specific charts, and it is the percentile of their BMI that matters.
The BMI ranges are based on the effect body weight has on disease and death. As BMI increases, the risk for some disease also increases. Some common conditions related to overweight and obesity include: premature death, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, certain cancers, and diabetes.
Doctors caution that BMI is only one of many factors used to predict risk for disease. BMI cannot be used to tell a person if he/she has a disease such as diabetes or cancer. It is important to remember that weight is only one factor that is related to disease, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
Overweight, defined as a BMI of 25-29 for adults, refers to increased body weight in relation to height and may or may not be due to increased body fat. It may also be due to an increase in lean muscle.
Obesity, defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 30 for adults, is associated with an excessively high amount of body fat.
BMI for children and teens is based on gender and age specific charts, and it is the percentile of their BMI that matters.
The BMI ranges are based on the effect body weight has on disease and death. As BMI increases, the risk for some disease also increases. Some common conditions related to overweight and obesity include: premature death, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, certain cancers, and diabetes.
Doctors caution that BMI is only one of many factors used to predict risk for disease. BMI cannot be used to tell a person if he/she has a disease such as diabetes or cancer. It is important to remember that weight is only one factor that is related to disease, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.