Childhood Obesity

How do I know if my child is overweight or obese?

You should be meeting with your child's doctor for well visits every once in a while. The doctor should in turn be charting your child's height and weight during these times and pointing out any potential problems that may be happening. If your child's doctor does not point these things out and you feel that your child is at risk then please ask them to evaluate your child's growth including weight.

If your child's BMI is in the 85th percentile, then this means that your child could be overweight and is at risk of becoming obese. If your child falls into this percentile it indicates that your child is heavier than 85% of the children that are of equal height and age.

However, the 95th percentile is the marking point used for defining childhood and adolescent obesity versus being overweight. If your child falls into this percentile it indicates that your child is heavier than 95% of the children that are of equal height and age.