Interpretation of BMI for Children and Teens (2 –19 years)
For children and teens, the interpretation of BMI is both age- and
sex-specific. This calculator provides BMI and the correspond-
ing BMI-for-age percentile on a BMI-for-age growth chart. This
method of determining BMI takes into account age and sex. Age
and sex are considered for children and teens for two reasons:
the amount of body fat changes with age and the amount of body
fat differs between girls and boys.The WHO BMI-for-age growth charts for girls and boys take into
account these differences and allows for the translation of a BMI
number into a percentile for a child’s or teen’s sex and age.
Step 1: Calculate BMI Weight (kilograms) ÷ Height (cms) ÷ Height
(cms) x 10,000
Step 2: Use the WHO Growth Charts for Canada for Boys or Girls
to determine which Percentile range they are in based on Age
and BMIChapter 8 Fitness Assessment Protocols and Practical Skills