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Body Fat Percentage in Children

With childhood obesity reaching epidemic proportions, it is normal to be worried about whether or not your children have too much body fat. While it is a legitimate concern, be sure to apply the right standards to your children--adults and children have different nutritional needs, and their body fat ratio is not the same as adults.

  1. BMI

    • The most common way to measure the body fat percentage of a child is using BMI (Body Mass Index).

    Girls

    • The healthy range for girls is 14 to 21 percent. Overweight is 22 to 31 percent. Obese is 32 percent or higher.

    Boys

    • The healthy range for boys is nine to 15 percent. Overweight is 21 to 25 percent. Obese is 25 percent or higher.

    Measuring

    • While the most common way to measure BMI is algebraic equation that considers the height, age, sex and weight of the child, there are other options, including bioelectrical impedance, which measures the muscle and fat ratio by sending a small electrical charge through the body and timing how long it takes the muscle to slow it down.

    Accuracy

    • It isn't an exact science. Based on studies done at Baylor in 2000, one in six children with a normal BMI was actually overweight or obese, and one in four with an obese BMI was actually in the normal range.

    Problems

    • You can't assume that the BMI is accurate because of problems with measurement methods and other genetic factors that may vary by child.

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