BMI categories

For children and adolescents 2 years of age and older:

• Underweight: BMI < 5th percentile
• Healthy weight: 5th to < 85th percentile
• Overweight: 85th to < 95th percentile
• Obesity: ≥ 95th percentile
  • Severe obesity, class 2: ≥ 120% of the 95th percentile, or BMI ≥ 35 kg/m²
  • Severe obesity, class 3: ≥ 140% of the 95th percentile, or BMI ≥ 40 kg/m²

Tips

• Weight-for-stature is intended for children 2 to 5 years of age.
• Age: months. For years and months, enter e.g. 4y 5m.
• Weight: kg. For pounds, enter e.g. 45 lb; pounds and ounces as e.g. 8-4.
• Stature: cm. For feet and inches, enter e.g. 4' 5".

Based on

• Kuczmarski RJ et al. Vital Health Stat 11. 2002;(246):1-190
• Wei R et al. Ann Hum Biol 2020;47:514-521
• Hampl SE et al. Pediatrics 2023;151:e2022060640

Sources and methods · How to cite