A school nurse is using height and weight measurements to calculate the body mass index (BMI) of the students.How will the nurse use these data?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The BMI is an early warning signal that is helpful as early as age 2 years to help identify children who have the potential to become overweight.Early identification of obesity risk gives parents the opportunity to modify their family eating and activity patterns before their children develop a weight problem.Body mass index (BMI) is a helpful indicator of obesity and being underweight.Height and weight measurements are needed in the calculation to determine BMI.BMI is a good indicator of body fat, but it cannot be interpreted as a specific percentage of body fat.BMI is used to screen and monitor a population to detect the risk of health or nutritional disorders.In an individual, other data must be used to determine if a high BMI is associated with increased risk of disease; BMI alone is not diagnostic.BMI is higher (not lower) with high muscle mass; thus, choice D is not correct.BMI cannot be used to predict whether a child will develop Type 1 diabetes, which is not related to obesity.

A School Nurse Is Using Height and Weight Measurements to Calculate