The child’s Body Mass Index (BMI) is used to assess whether the child or adolescent is at the ideal weight, and can be done during consultations with the pediatrician or at home, by parents.
Children’s BMI is a relationship between a child’s weight and height between 6 months and 18 years of age, which indicates whether their current weight is above, below or within normal limits, helping to identify child malnutrition or obesity.
Normally, the pediatrician relates the BMI value to age, to check whether the child or adolescent’s development is happening as expected. Therefore, if it is found that there are changes in this relationship, the pediatrician can indicate, together with the nutritionist, changes in eating habits.
How to calculate
To calculate your child’s and adolescent’s BMI, use the following calculator:
What to do if your BMI is changed
To reach the appropriate BMI for the child, changes must be made to the child’s lifestyle and eating habits, which involve not only the child, but also the family environment in which he or she lives:
How to increase BMI
If the BMI is below values considered normal, it is important to take the child to a pediatrician and nutritionist, as it is necessary to evaluate several factors that help to identify the cause of weight loss and what nutritional problems exist, in order to define strategies. that allow the child to regain their weight.
In general, to increase BMI it is recommended:
- Follow a diet that includes foods rich in protein and good fats;
- Take a multivitamin;
- Make use of a nutritional supplement, such as Pediasure, which helps to provide more calories and complement the diet.
Make an appointment with your nearest pediatrician, using the following tool, to obtain the most appropriate guidance for your child’s case:
Taking care of your health has never been easier!
How to lower BMI
When the BMI is high, it may be indicative of overweight or obesity, and it is important that treatment focuses on promoting healthy eating habits and behaviors, low in sugars and fats, an adequate lifestyle that promotes physical activity and the promotion of positive self-esteem.
To overcome excess weight, treatment must not only focus on the child. It is also important to evaluate the family environment and make changes that involve all family members. Furthermore, it is best for overweight children to be assessed not only by a nutritionist, but by a multidisciplinary team, which also includes a pediatrician and a psychologist, which will allow the modification of habits to be achieved and maintained over time. over time.
Check out other tips in the video below to help your child lose weight healthily:
Bibliography
- CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION. About Child & Teen BMI. Disponível em: <https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/about_childrens_bmi.html#HowIsBMICalculated>. Acesso em 06 jul 2020
- ÁLVAREZ María Luisa et al. Nutrition in pediatrics. 2nd. Caracas, Venezuela: Cania, 2009. 563-600.
- CDC. 2 to 20 years: Boys Body mass index-for-age percentiles. 2000. Available at: <https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41c023.pdf>. Accessed on May 29, 2019
- CDC. Clinical Growth Charts. Available at: <https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm#Set1>. Accessed on May 29, 2019
- ÁLVAREZ María Luisa et al. Nutrition in pediatrics. 2nd. Caracas, Venezuela: Cania, 2009. 384-386.
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Referring to: “Child BMI Calculator”:
- OMS. WHO growth curves. Available at: <https://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/es/>. Accessed on Jul 15, 2021
