Weight problems screening

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends using the body mass index (BMI) to screen children ages 6 to 18 for obesity.

• If your child's BMI has been high on the growth chart from birth, this may be his or her healthy size and growth rate. He or she may simply be bigger than other children of the same sex and age.
• If your child's BMI pattern has suddenly jumped from a lower range to a higher range on the growth chart, your child may be at risk of becoming overweight. Your doctor will carefully track growth over time. The doctor will watch for a change in the rate of weight gain. Your child may need counseling and other help to make lifestyle changes for a healthier weight.
• If your family has a history of obesity, your child has a higher risk of becoming overweight.

Sometimes a child's BMI and weight can increase without a child being at risk of having too much body fat. For instance, before and during puberty it's normal for children to have a significant gain in weight before they start to grow in height. And children who are very muscular (such as children who are very active in sports) may have a high BMI. But they may have normal or even lower-than-normal amounts of body fat.

If your child's BMI and growth pattern suggest a weight problem, your doctor will give your child an exam that looks for health problems that can cause weight gain. This may include questions about eating and physical activity habits. Routine checkups for health problems will also be important over time.

"Overweight" and "obese" are terms sometimes used when referring to children who weigh more than expected. Doctors use growth charts or the BMI to measure a child's weight in relation to height.