How is overweight and obesity in children defined?
Many parents have trouble accurately estimating overweight or obesity in their children. However, health authorities know that overweight and obesity in children is a worldwide phenomenon: the 2002 National Children’s Nutrition Survey found that 31% of New Zealand children are now considered to be either overweight or obese. A number called the body mass index (BMI) is used to work out if a child of any age (from two years old) is too heavy: the BMI number is calculated using your child’s age, weight, height and gender. At every age, the BMI number that indicates overweight, or obesity, changes. The BMI number that has been chosen to represent overweight in children is called the 85th percentile BMI, and obesity the 95th percentile BMI. When you enter your child’s weight, height, date of birth and gender, steadygrow will automatically calculate your child’s BMI number and tell you whether your child falls into the category of being probably overweight or obese.
