Concerned About Your Child’s Weight?
What You Need to Know at Your
Child’s Next Checkup
If you are concerned about your child’s weight, the answers to these 9 questions
can help you understand your child’s growth, weight, and what you can do to
help keep your whole family healthy.
1. How is my child growing? At each check up your
child’s doctor will measure your child’s height and
weight and plot it on a growth chart. This chart
tells you how your child’s growth compares to
other children his or her age and how your child is
growing from year to year. Ask your child’s doctor to
show you your child’s growth chart and also explain
to you what the numbers mean.
2. What is my child’s BMI and what does it mean?
BMI stands for body mass index. It is a measure of
height and weight together. Doctors use it to help
to understand a child’s weight status. Your child’s
pediatrician plots BMI at every well-child visit. If your
child’s weight is less than the 5th percentile, your
child may be underweight. If your child is between
the 5th and 84th percentile, this is considered to
be a healthy weight. A BMI between the 85th and
94th percentile is considered overweight, and a
BMI>95% is considered to be obese. Ask your
child’s doctor to show you the BMI chart and explain
to you what your child’s number means.
3. If my child’s weight is a concern, what further
tests are needed? In addition to a full family history
and physical exam, the pediatrician may also order
blood tests to see if your child has high cholesterol,
high blood sugar, or any signs of liver or kidney
damage. These health problems can result from being
overweight and, if present, can often be improved with
changes to nutrition and physical activity. If your child
has these tests done, ask your child’s pediatrician to
help you understand the results.
4. What is recommended nutrition and physical
activity for my child’s age? Your child’s doctor
can help understand the recommended nutrition
and physical activity levels for children your child’s
age. Many pediatricians advise families to follow
5-2-1-0 for good health (started at letsgo.org).
That is—eat 5 or more servings of vegetables
and fruits each day, spend 2 hours or less on
non-educational screen time, get 1 hour or more
of physical activity, and drink 0 sugary drinks
and more water and low-fat milk. In addition to
this advice, and if you are interested, your child’s
pediatrician can also help you come up with a
specific plan for your child given your child’s
preferences and interests.
5. How much sleep should my child get? Sleep
plays a key role in a child’s overall health as well as
on a child’s weight status. Your child’s doctor can
help you understand about how much sleep your
child needs each night and also work with you to
develop a sleep routine to help your child actually
achieve those recommendations.
6. What has worked for other families? Your
pediatrician has the advantage of seeing many
patients in a similar situation to your family. Ask
what has worked for others. This will not only help
you come up with your own best plan, but it also
reminds the doctor to keep tabs on what works
and what doesn’t and to continue to provide even
better coaching to patients and families.
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7. When can we schedule a follow-up visit?
If your child is either underweight or overweight,
regular follow-up is important. Most of the time,
doctors will ask you to schedule a visit in 1 to 3
months.
8. What resources are available to help us in
this community? Communities generally contain
many assets and opportunities for healthy activity
and nutrition. Pediatricians are often familiar
with programs available nearby, and if you ask,
your child’s doctor may be able to provide you
with a large range of potential programs and
opportunities for your child improve nutrition and
physical activity.
9. Where can I go for more information? Many online
resources and programs are available to help families
adopt healthier nutrition and physical activity habits.
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation offers many
at healthiergeneration.org as does the American
Academy of Pediatrics at healthychildren.org, and
the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics at
kidseatright.org.