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BMI Percentile Calculator

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## BMI Percentile Calculator (Ages 2-19)

Use of the calculator is free, confidential, and no registration is necessary.

BMI Percentile Calculator from CDC Growth Charts shows how your child's weight compares to that of other children of the same age and sex. This tool is often used by pediatric specialists to categorize for children and teenagers growth from 2 through 19 years old.

### BMI Result

- Underweight: < 5th percentile
- Normal: 5th - 84th percentile
- Overweight: 85th - 94th percentile
- Obesity: > 95% percentile

### Percentiles or Z-Scores?

Percentiles are the most commonly used clinical indicator to assess the size and growth patterns of individual children in the United States. Percentiles rank the position of an individual by indicating what percent of the reference population the individual would equal or exceed. For example, on the weight-for-age growth charts,
a 5-year-old girl whose weight is at the 25th percentile, weighs the same or more than 25 percent of the reference population of 5-year-old girls, and weighs less than 75 percent of the 5-year-old girls in the reference population.

A z-score is the deviation of the value for an individual from the mean value of the reference population divided by the standard deviation for the reference population. 

Because z-scores have a direct relationship with percentiles, a conversion can occur in either direction using a standard normal distribution table. Therefore, z-scores and percentiles are interchangeable. 

### Should I Keep Track of BMI For My Child?

Check BMI annually, or more often if recommended by the child’s healthcare provider. Tracking growth patterns over time can help you make sure your child is achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. Please keep in mind that this BMI Percentile Calculator is not meant to serve as a source of clinical guidance and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Because BMI is based on weight and height, it is only an indicator of body fatness. Individuals with the same BMI may have different amounts of body fat. Persons may consider seeking advice from their doctor or other healthcare provider on healthy weight status.

Source: [https://www.cdc.gov](https://www.cdc.gov)


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