New Pediatric Growth Charts Include BMI

The new pediatric growth charts issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in May now include body mass index (BMI) charts, one for boys and one for girls aged 2 and up, to help practitioners assess whether a child is underweight, overweight, or at risk of overweight. In addition, the revised growth charts reflect new data gathered through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and analyzed using improved statistical procedures. Originally developed in 1977, the charts track growth and development in children based on selected body measurements. The enhanced charts track children and young people through age 20, and more accurately reflect the Nation's cultural and racial diversity.

BMI, an evaluation of a person's weight status in relation to height, is the most commonly used approach to determine if adults are overweight or obese, and is now the recommended measure for assessing overweight in children. In light of the fact that many overweight adults first encountered weight problems in childhood, the new BMI charts for children represent an opportunity for early intervention. "The BMI is an early warning signal that is helpful as early as age 2," said Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala. "This means that parents have an opportunity to change their children's eating habits before a weight problem ever develops."

The complete report, CDC Growth Charts: United States, is available from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, (301) 458-4636, and on the Web at www.cdc.gov/growthcharts.

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