Which chart is used to assess obesity risk in children?

• A. Growth velocity chart
• B. Head circumference chart
• C. Blood pressure percentile chart
• D. BMI percentile charts

Answer: (D)

Obesity risk in children is assessed by comparing a child’s body mass index to others of the same age and sex. BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, and because children are growing, their BMI must be interpreted using age- and sex-specific percentile charts rather than a single adult cutoff. On these charts, a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for the child’s age and sex is classified as obese, while a BMI between the 85th and 94th percentiles is overweight; below the 85th percentile is generally considered a healthy range. This approach helps identify kids at higher risk for obesity-related health issues and tracks changes over time. Other charts serve different purposes: growth velocity charts monitor rate of growth, head circumference charts track brain growth, and blood pressure percentile charts assess cardiovascular risk, not obesity risk.