Regular checkups help the doctor monitor your child's growth and development. For years, doctors have used height and weight measurements as their primary tools for assessing a child's physical growth in relation to other children of the same age. Now they have another tool: body mass index (BMI). Why is this new measurement so helpful?

BMI is a calculation that uses a child's height, age, and weight to estimate how much body fat he or she has. Doctors use BMI to determine how appropriate a child's weight is for a certain height. They also use separate charts for boys and girls to account for differences in growth rates and amounts of body fat as the two genders mature.
That information is recorded in your child's medical record, and over several visits, the pattern of measurements allows the doctor to track your child's growth.

The best way to determine your child's BMI is to have your child's doctor do it. That way, you'll know the number is accurate and your child's doctor can discuss the result with you. If you're interested, you also can figure out your BMI by using a calculator found on the web:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/bmi_charts.html

A trend may suggest that a child is losing or gaining weight at a healthy rate.

BMI is particularly helpful for identifying children and adolescents who are at risk for becoming significantly overweight as they get older. In older children and teens, there is a strong correlation between BMI and the amount of body fat. Therefore, those with high BMI readings - and probably high levels of fat - are most likely to have weight problems when they are older. If doctors can identify these at-risk children early on, they can monitor their body fat more carefully and potentially prevent adult obesity through changes in healthy eating and exercise habits.

BMI is not perfect. For example, it's very common for kids to gain weight quickly - and see the BMI go up - during puberty. Your child's doctor can help you figure out whether this weight gain is a normal part of development or whether it's something to be concerned about. If you think your child may be gaining or losing weight too fast, talk to your child's doctor. A child can also have a high BMI because he or she has a large frame or a lot of muscle, not excess fat. By the same token, a person with a small frame may have a normal BMI but might have too much body fat.

Also, it's important to look at the BMI numbers as a trend instead of focusing on individual numbers. Any one measurement, taken out of context, might give you the wrong impression of your child's growth. The real value of BMI measurements lies in viewing them as a pattern over time. That allows both doctor and parents to watch the child's growth and determine whether it's normal compared with that of other children the same age. BMI is an important additional tool that can be used as an indicator that your child is growing and developing in a healthy way.

This information was abstracted from www.KidsHealth.org as Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD Date reviewed: May 2005

On your child's report card I have placed their BMI for both the Fall and Spring. Below is an example of a 5th grade report card:

If your child is a "girl" then you will find their BMI value as compared to measurements of others in their age and gender group in the left hand column of the table below, whereas if your child is a "boy" then their values are in the right hand column.

3rd Graders - (8-9 year olds):

Girls	Boys
Under Healthy Weight: 13.5 and below	Under Healthy Weight: 13.8 and below
Healthy Weight: 13.5 - 18.7	Healthy Weight: 13.8 - 18.3
Above Healthy Weight: 18.7 and above	Above Healthy Weight: 18.3 and above

4th Graders - (9-10 year olds):

Girls	Boys
Under Healthy Weight: 13.8 and below	Under Healthy Weight: 14.0 and below
Healthy Weight: 13.8 - 19.5	Healthy Weight: 14.0 - 18.9
Above Healthy Weight: 19.5 and above	Above Healthy Weight: 18.9 and above

5th Graders (10-11 year olds)

Girls	Boys
Under Healthy Weight: 14.1 and below	Under Healthy Weight: 14.3 and below
Healthy Weight: 14.1 - 20.3	Healthy Weight: 14.3 - 19.7
Above Healthy Weight: 20.3 and above	Above Healthy Weight: 19.7 and above

"Under healthy weight" are those who fall below 5% of others in their age and gender group.

"Healthy weight" values are for those who are between the 5th and 85th percentile of others in their age and gender group,

"Above healthy weight" are above 85% for those in their age and gender group. Children who's score fall in this category consistenyly over a period of time - therefore showing a trend of being above a healthy weight - have a greater risk of becoming obese.

These values are best represented over TIME looking at the trend of your child's growth. If you have concern regarding these numbers then please contact your child's physician for further information regarding these values.
Values were obtained doing height and weight (shoes/extra clothing removed) during PE class. Students were not allowed to view others being weighed. The students did not see their own weight or height score. Their individual height, weight, gender, and birthdate were then entered into a measurement tool found on the following website to obtain their BMI value score:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/body_stuff/bmi.html

Several states currently use mandatory BMI testing such as in 2003, Arkansas -- where 38 percent of children are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight -- became the first state in the nation to make school weigh-ins a state law and mandated that parents be sent an annual report stating their child's BMI. The reports also explain what the BMI means, the health effects associated with obesity, and ways to combat the problem.

Washington State's Office of Superintendent for Public Instruction recognizes BMI testing as a best practice for a quality physical education program.