4 Steps to Check If Your Child Is Obese
Did you know that you there is a way to check if your child is obese or not? It is through the Body Mass Index or BMI and it only takes 4 steps to calculate it:
Did you know that you there is a way to check if your child is obese or not? It is through the Body Mass Index or BMI and it only takes 4 steps to calculate it:
• Step 1: check your child’s weight in kilograms (kg)
• Step 2: measure your child’s height in meters (m)
• Step 3: divide the weight (kg) by the square of the height (m²)
• Step 4: plot the result in the correct BMI-for-age percentile chart for boys and girls
If the BMI is falls less than the 5th percentile, your child is underweight.
If it falls between the 5th and 85th percentile, he has normal weight.
If the BMI is between the 85th and 95th percentile, then he is overweight.
A BMI that is more than the 95th percentile means that your child is obese.
By knowing your child’s BMI, you are able to check your child’s obesity levels. As a parent, you can work with your healthcare provider to prevent unwanted health outcomes such as obesity in adulthood, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, kidney problems, psychiatric disease, and even low quality of life.
To achieve good body weight, allow your child to engage in regular exercise 30 minutes every day. Reduce sedentary time watching TV or playing video games.
Equally important is to encourage your child to eat a balanced diet. Avoid giving high-calorie and oily food. Keep in mind that feeding choices can greatly affect your child’s weight and increase his risk for obesity when he gets older. This has been proven by many studies that too much protein during the first years of life may cause rapid weight gain and obesity. Therefore, make sure that your child receives the right amount of protein as well as carbohydrates, fats and other nutrients during his meals.
References:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Measuring Children's Height and Weight Accurately At Home. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/measuring_children.html.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About child and teen BMI. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/about_childrens_bmi.html. [Accessed 29 June 2015]
3. Kelsey, et al. Age-related consequences of childhood obesity. Gerontology. 2014;60(3):222-8. doi: 10.1159/000356023. Epub 2014 Jan 9.
4. Kliegman, et al (ed.). 2008. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 18th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier
5. Koletzko B, et al. Can infant feeding choices modulate later obesity risk? Am J Clin Nutr 2009;89:1502S-8S.
6. Koletzko B, et al. Lower protein in infant formula is associated with lower weight up to age 2 y: a randomized clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;89:1836–45
Related articles
Epigenetics: Making the Most of Your Genes
Did you know that the story of your health doesn’t just start with your personal health? It goes as far back as your grandparents.
2 mins to read
What is an Allergic March?
An allergic march isn’t when your child gets the seasonal allergies in March. In fact, it isn’t related to a month at all.
3 mins to read
Nutrition for a Healthy Gut
Helping your child build a healthy digestive system starts with having the right food and fluids to support the gut.
2 mins to read
Help Your Child’s Healthy Future Today
Have you ever watched your child build a tower of toy blocks?
3 mins to read
Childhood Allergies
How to prevent the risk of allergies? Nutrition for food allergy protection Food allergies are a great concern among parents of young children.
7 mins to read
Health Risks: It’s All In The Genes
Kids get their genes from their moms and dads. Because of this, traits like hair and eye color, handedness, blood type and even the presence of dimples are inherited.
3 mins to read
Is a Germ-Free Home Free From Allergy?
As a parent, one of your main concerns in raising your child is the germs around the house.
4 mins to read
How to help toddler tummy problems
Painful toddler tummy problems, including toddler diarrhoea and toddler constipation, are horrible for parents and little ones’s alike.
2 mins to read
Educating Your Child about Allergy
As a parent, you’ve probably wondered more than once how you can help your child if he or she has an allergy, or an allergic reaction.
3 mins to read
Can the Right Amount of Protein Prevent Obesity?
As a parent, you want nothing more than for your kids to grow up strong and healthy. Pediatricians today highlight the importance of avoiding the risk of obesity in children.
2 mins to read
Unraveling 2'-FL: The Secret Sauce in Kid's Growing Up Milk
Today, we're focusing on 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL), a key ingredient for growing up milk for children.
5 mins to read
The Difference between Bacteria and Viruses
There are countless microorganisms living and moving around us every day.
3 mins to read
Guiding Your Children in Proper Hand-Washing Techniques | Start Well Stay Well
4 mins to read
Tips for potty training toddlers
Wondering how to potty train or when to start potty training? Read our potty-training tips and tricks to help toddlers hit the spot.
2 mins to read
Following your child's growth
Your child is developing so fast! He is starting to discover his new world, thanks to your loving care and his rapidly awakening senses.
1 min to read
Partially Hydrolysed Protein vs Regular Cow’s Milk Protein: The Hard Facts
Milk is power packed with all sorts of nutrients for a growing child. And just like a superhero has his source of strength, your child can get a variety of vitamins and minerals from milk.
1 min to read
Are Probiotics Safe for Kids? Let’s Dig into the Facts
We'll explore what probiotics are, their benefits, and if they're safe for children.
3 mins to read
Raising Healthy Active Kids
One can argue that raising healthy active kids is simple especially in a country like Malaysia.
3 mins to read
Kid talk: How to encourage junior’s first words
Your child’s first words are likely to happen after a few months of kid talk.
2 mins to read
Related tools
