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Summary

  • BMI-for-age is the method recommended to screen for obesity, overweight, and underweight among children and teens aged 2 to 20 years.
  • BMI-for-age is a screening tool that may lead to further assessment to diagnose a specific health condition.
  • For children, BMI is age- and sex-specific, and nutritional status is identified on the basis of percentiles. For adults, BMI is neither age- nor sex-specific, and nutritional status is defined by fixed cut points.
  • Periodic, accurate measurements and growth records are important elements of growth screening. An accurate interpretation of growth depends on the accuracy of weighing and measuring.
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