With all the talk about obesity, you may be wondering what your child should actually weigh. While adults can use the Body Mass Index to determine their ideal weight, the scale for children is different. It’s based on percentages.
If your child weighs more than children in the 95th percentile, he or she is considered overweight. Above the 85th percentile and your child is considered to be at risk of becoming overweight.
You can see the growth charts for boys and girls age 2-20 by going to cdc.gov/growthcharts.
It’s important to remember that this is just a general guideline. You shouldn’t become too obsessed with making your child’s weight fit into a specific category. Instead, worry about his or her overall health.
If your child is approaching the 85th percentile, you’ll want to look at your family’s lifestyle and see where you can make improvements. You should also talk to your pediatrician before you make the determination that your child is overweight.
It’s important to help your child maintain a healthy weight because that will contribute to a healthy adult weight. However, it’s also important that you take things in moderation. Constantly weighing your child and becoming fanatical about keeping his weight on target can do more harm than good.
Use your common sense to monitor your child’s weight. Help your child to have a healthy lifestyle by providing her with a nutritious diet and plenty of opportunities to exercise. It’s also critical for you to be a good role model.
Children can eat healthy if you try some unique ways to sway their choices from the non-nutritional items they’ve grown accustomed to ordering. Be persistent but flexible as your child navigates a new way of eating healthy.
You can’t expect for your child to change her lifestyle while you keep the same unhealthy one. When you work to keep the whole family healthy, your child will be more likely to have a healthy weight.
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