overweight and obesity

To screen for overweight and obesity, doctors measure BMI using calculations that
depend on whether you are a child or an adult. After reading the information below,
talk to your doctor or your child’s doctor to determine if you or your child has a high
or increasing BMI.

• Children: A healthy weight is usually when your child’s BMI is at the 5th percentile
up to the 85th percentile, based on growth charts for children who are the same age
and sex. To figure out your child’s BMI, use the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) BMI Percentile Calculator for Child and Teenexternal link and
compare the BMI with the table below.
• Adults: A healthy weight for adults is usually when your BMI is 18.5 to less than
25. To figure out your BMI, use the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s
online BMI calculator and compare it with the table below. You can also download
the BMI calculator app for iPhoneexternal link and Androidexternal link.

Body mass index (BMI) is used to determine if you or your child are underweight,
healthy, or overweight or obese. Children are underweight if their BMI is below the
5th percentile, healthy weight if their BMI is between the 5th to less than the 85th
percentile, overweight if their BMI is the 85th percentile to less than the 95th
percentile, and obese if their BMI is the 95th percentile or above. Adults are
underweight if their BMI is below 18.5, healthy weight if their BMI is 18.5 to 24.9,
overweight if their BMI is 25 to 29.9, and obese if their BMI is 30 or above. *A child’s
BMI percentile is calculated by comparing your child’s BMI to growth charts for
children who are the same age and sex as your child.