Pediatric BMI Percentile Calculator
BMI-for-age percentile and weight category for ages 2-19. Free, private and instant.
How to use the Child BMI Percentile
- Pick metric (cm, kg) or imperial (ft, in, lb) units.
- Choose child is a: Boy or Girl.
- Enter age in years and months.
- Enter weight.
- Enter height.
- Press Calculate to get an instant result with a colour scale, chart and plain-English explanation.
About the Child BMI Percentile
For children and teens, BMI is compared with other children of the same age and sex instead of adult cut-offs. Enter age, height and weight to see the BMI-for-age percentile, the weight category and a growth chart showing the 5th, 50th, 85th and 95th percentile lines.
Also known as: child BMI calculator, BMI for age percentile, kids BMI calculator, teen BMI calculator.
Worked example
- Child is a: Boy
- Age: 10 years
- Weight: 32 kg
- Height: 138 cm
BMI-for-age percentile: 57 percentile (Healthy weight (5th-85th)). A BMI of 16.8 at 10 years is at about the 57th percentile for boys, in the "healthy weight (5th-85th)" range.
- BMI: 16.8 kg/m²
- Percentile: 57th
- Z-score: 0.18
- Median BMI for age: 16.4
Formula and cut-offs
BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)². Percentile from a z-score against age and sex reference data. Under 5th underweight; 5th-84th healthy weight; 85th-94th overweight; 95th or more obesity.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy BMI percentile for a child?
Between the 5th and 85th percentile.
Why do children use percentiles instead of BMI numbers?
Because healthy BMI changes a lot as children grow, and differs between boys and girls.
Is BMI accurate for children?
It is a screening tool. A doctor also looks at growth trends, puberty, muscle and family history.
What is the BMI-for-age percentile for a 10-year-old boy, 32 kg and 138 cm?
BMI-for-age percentile: 57 percentile (Healthy weight (5th-85th)). A BMI of 16.8 at 10 years is at about the 57th percentile for boys, in the "healthy weight (5th-85th)" range. Enter your own numbers above for a personal result.
Sources and references
Written and checked by the MediHub editorial team against the sources above. Read how we build and review our calculators.
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Last updated . This calculator is for education only and is not medical advice. See the medical disclaimer.