The Body Mass Index
Calculator
A growing obesity epidemic is threatening the
health of millions of American children. Studies have shown that about one-third of
preschool children and about one half of school-aged children are overweight or obese.
Furthermore, most experts agree that the growth pattern a child is in by about 8 years of
age is the pattern the youngster is likely to follow into adulthood.
For years, the Body Mass Index (BMI) was used by
health professionals to track weight problems and obesity in adults. This is a new term to
most people. It is a measurement used by physicians studying obesity and uses a
mathematical formula that takes into account both a person's height and weight. BMI equals
a person's weight in divided by height in meters squared multiplied by 703.
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control have developed
growth charts that can be used as a warning signal for obesity in children -
particularly very young children. By knowing a child's BMI, parents and doctors can now
recognize children who are overweight or have the potential to become overweight.
Calculate your child's Body Mass Index and then check
the new growth charts to see if there is a possible weight problem in your youngster.
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