Then, there’s the other side of the fence where children are undernourished because of picky eating. While the rest of the world is battling to control weight gain, there are children who fall short of the required weight in order to be called healthy. Underweight children may be at risk of having lower body resistance which can lead to more sick days.
Achieving a good balance in weight and height can be tricky especially when it comes to young children, which is why it is important for parents to understand the relevance of Body Mass Index (BMI)-for-Age.
What is BMI-for Age?
Experts have developed another tool to help estimate if a child is in the healthy weight range for his or her height, based on her age and gender. It’s called the Body Mass Index For Age, or BMI-for-Age. Although it is not a fool-proof method for gauging children’s health, BMI-for-age can be used as a screening tool to raise red flags and alert parents of their children’s health conditions.
The Importance of Children’s BMI-for-Age Score
Understanding weight problems in children is the first step in breaking the cycle of unhealthy living. Children as young as two years old may have their BMI-for-Age assessed by their pediatricians to address whatever problems could hamper their health.
Measuring weight or height alone does not tell the whole story. Without a proper BMI-for-Age measurement, it may be hard to tell if a child has weight problems or is just going through a growth spurt. BMI-for-Age charts are created to help doctors and parents thwart weight-related health problems previously seen only in adults.
Once a child’s BMI-for-Age score is determined, parents need to help their children strive toward a healthier BMI-for-Age and maintain it. Setting realistic goals in terms of weight gain or loss is helpful as children need all the help they can get from adults. Although parents can measure their children’s BMI-for-Age, it is still advisable that they consult a doctor first before proceeding with any health programs for their children.
Sources:
http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=114&np=302&id=1498
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/about_childrens_bmi.html
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/food/kids/343.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20363592
