For children two and older, BMI-for-age is a screening tool, not a verdict. The WHO reference and the way parents discuss it matter more than any single number.
A screening number
BMI-for-age compares a child's weight to their height and places it on the WHO Growth Reference (2007) for ages 2–19. It screens for patterns worth a closer look, it doesn't diagnose.
The bands and the talk
Above the 85th percentile is often called overweight risk and above the 95th overweight. The label is less important than a kind, concrete conversation about meals, movement, and screens.
Tendency matters most
A single high reading is common. A BMI percentile climbing steadily across years, or jumping sharply, is the trend that deserves a pediatric visit.
Watch the pattern, not the point
GrowChart tracks BMI-for-age on the WHO reference alongside weight and height, so you see the trend before it becomes a concern.
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