• Children and Adolescents

Children and Adolescents
Body Mass Index For Age
For infants, birth to 36 months, clinical growth charts reflect weight-for-length in addition to length-for-age, weight-for-age- and head
circumference-for-age. Infants and children under age 36 months using these charts are to be measured in recumbent length.
Specific information regarding infants and toddlers under age two is not included in this toolkit though appropriate growth charts are
available from www.cdc.gov/growthcharts.
BMI-for-age is the preferred term for children and adolescents aged 2 to 20 years as BMI is age
and gender specific. These children and adolescents are measured with a standing height and Children & Adolescents
utilize charts that have stature-for-age and weight-for-age in addition to BMI-for-age. These 1. Weigh at each visit.
standards are reflected in the 2000 CDC Growth Charts. A variety of clinical growth charts are 2. Measure height using
available that include additional percentile lines. stadiometer at each
visit.
Growth charts are available at www.cdc.gov/growthcharts or are available for purchase from 3. Calculate BMI and plot
several sources including the American Academy of Pediatrics. on growth chart.
4. Inform parent/patient of
Children and Adolescents 2 to 20 years
assessment.
BMI-for-Age Weight Status/ Children and
Adolescents
th
≤5 percentile Underweight
>5th percentile to