Measuring Obesity

Overview

Obesity is measured differently in adults than in children. In adults, there are various ways to measure obesity, but the most common methods used are body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.

In children, there are several indicators of weight status, but the standard tool used to measure “overweight” in children is bmi-for-age percentile.

In both adults and children, there is no perfect method to measuring weight status. It is important to talk with your doctor about your weight.