Your friend is concerned that her son is gaining too much weight.Before seeking advice from her son's pediatrician,she wants you to give her your opinion because she knows you are taking a nutrition class.You learn from her that her son is 3' 10" and currently weighs 60 lbs.You also remember that he just had his 6th birthday.How would you classify her son after calculating his BMI?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To calculate BMI for a child, you use the formula: weight (lb) / [height (in)]^2 x 703. For her son, it's 60 / [46]^2 x 703 = 60 / 2116 x 703 = 19.97. For children, BMI percentiles are used for classification. A BMI at or above the 95th percentile is considered obese for children. According to the CDC's BMI-for-age growth charts, a 6-year-old boy with a BMI of approximately 20 would be at or above the 95th percentile, classifying him as obese.

Your Friend Is Concerned That Her Son Is Gaining Too