A girl’s ideal weight varies according to her age and must be taken into account especially from birth to 2 years of age, and must be checked by the pediatrician every month during the first year of life. This is because a very low or very high weight can harm the child’s development and growth.
Generally, weight gain in the first 12 months is faster, becoming slower from the 1st year of life, as the child becomes more active, burning more calories, which slows down the weight gain.
It is important to remember that girls’ development is not all the same and, therefore, a girl at a certain age may not gain as much weight as another girl of the same age. If this happens, and is causing doubts, it is important to have an evaluation with a pediatrician or nutritionist.
How to assess a girl’s weight
To find out if the girl’s weight is within normal parameters, up to the age of 18, enter the data into our calculator:
The way to assess a girl’s ideal weight varies according to her age:
- Up to 2 years: weight is checked using percentile curves that show the evolution of weight in each month of life;
- From 2 to 5 years old: weight is assessed according to the child’s height;
- From 5 to 18 years old: the ideal weight is checked according to the BMI for each age.
In the first 2 years of life, it is also important that balanced growth occurs and, therefore, in addition to the weight percentile curve, it is also important to check the percentile curves for height and head circumference.
Weight table up to 2 years
From birth to 2 years of age, the girl’s weight must be evaluated according to the percentile. The following table presents the range of values between the 15th percentile and the 85th percentile, according to the World Health Organization:
If the girl’s weight is not within the range considered normal for her age, it is important to consult a pediatrician or nutritionist to carry out a more detailed assessment and assess the need to make some type of change in her diet. Weight can also be influenced by other factors, such as physical activity level and even each child’s genetics.
Weight table from 2 to 5 years old
Between 2 and 5 years oldthe ideal weight must be assessed according to the girl’s height, as shown in the following table:
This table is constructed in accordance with the reference values indicated by the World Health Organization growth curves.
The most important thing is to check whether the girl gains weight regularly, as not gaining weight, as well as suddenly increasing or decreasing weight, could be a sign of a health problem, such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism, for example. In these cases, you should consult a pediatrician.
Over 5 years: Child BMI
Use the calculator below to find out your girl’s ideal weight. from 5 years of age and up to 18 years of age:
Attention: This calculator is not suitable for calculating weight before the age of 5, it is more appropriate to follow the tables presented previously or follow the pediatrician’s instructions and the information in the baby’s notebook.
In case of being overweight, see some advice from nutritionist Tatiana Zanin for children:
Bibliography
- WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. Child growth patterns. Available at: <https://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/es/>. Accessed on February 15, 2019
Referring to: “Children’s ideal weight calculator”:
- WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO). BMI-for-age (5-19 years). Disponível em: <https://www.who.int/tools/growth-reference-data-for-5to19-years/indicators/bmi-for-age>. Acesso em 04 nov 2022
Referring to: “Child BMI Calculator”:
- OMS. WHO growth curves. Available at: <https://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/es/>. Accessed on Jul 15, 2021
