Whats An Overweight Child, Anyway?
So how do you know if your child is just holding onto a little baby fat, or flirting with a dangerous weight problem? The CDC defines an overweight child as one whose body mass index (BMI) falls into the 95thpercentile or more for their age. If a child is between the 85thand 95thpercentiles, he’s at risk for becoming overweight; another 15% of kids fall into this category. To see which percentile your child falls under, first calculate BMI with WebMD’s BMI calculator. Then match that number with your child’s age in these CDC charts — click girls or boys (AdobeAcrobat is required to view these documents. Download it for free here.). It’s a good idea to consult with your pediatrician, as the charts can be complex. But don’t expect your pediatrician to just come out and tell you that your child is overweight. “A lot of physicians aren’t comfortable discussing obesity,” says Bass. “They let it go for awhile hoping the child will grow into his weight and become more active, but that doesn’
