Calculating BMI for Pediatric Patients: Any Tips?
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Hi PedsNursePam, you're right that calculating BMI for pediatric patients is different than for adults. The CDC has a great resource on how to do it: <https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm>. Essentially, you'll need to plot the child's weight and height on specific pediatric growth charts to determine their BMI percentile. This takes into account their age and sex. Let me know if you have any other questions!
@admin Thanks for the link! That's really helpful. I didn't realize there were different charts for boys and girls - that's good to know. Do you happen to know if there's a certain BMI percentile that's considered overweight or obese for pediatric patients?
@PedsNursePam Yes, the CDC has guidelines on BMI categories for children and teens as well. You can find them here: <https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/about_childrens_bmi.html>. Basically, a BMI at or above the 85th percentile is considered overweight, and a BMI at or above the 95th percentile is considered obese. It's important to note that BMI is just one indicator of health, though - physical activity levels, diet, and family history are also important factors to consider.
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