Child growth percentile calculator
Height, weight and BMI-for-age percentiles for ages 2 to 20 on the CDC growth charts, with the BMI category.
- ๐บ๐ธ US federal & state rules
- CDC growth charts and BMI categories
- See sources
BMI-for-age percentile
59th
BMI 17.4 at 10 years, 0 months: healthy weight
- BMI category (CDC)
- Healthy weight
- BMI
- 17.4
- Height for age
- 59th percentile (z +0.22)
- Weight for age
- 56th percentile (z +0.14)
This is an example. Enter your numbers above and press the button to see your own result.
BMI for age, girls age 10 years, 0 months
| 5th percentile | 14 |
|---|---|
| 25th percentile | 15.5 |
| 50th percentile (median) | 16.9 |
| 75th percentile | 18.7 |
| 85th percentile | 20 |
| 95th percentile | 23 |
Height for age, girls age 10 years, 0 months
| 5th percentile | 50.2 in |
|---|---|
| 25th percentile | 52.6 in |
| 50th percentile (median) | 54.4 in |
| 75th percentile | 56.2 in |
| 85th percentile | 57.2 in |
| 95th percentile | 58.9 in |
Weight for age, girls age 10 years, 0 months
| 5th percentile | 54.8 lb |
|---|---|
| 25th percentile | 64.3 lb |
| 50th percentile (median) | 72.9 lb |
| 75th percentile | 83.9 lb |
| 85th percentile | 91.1 lb |
| 95th percentile | 106.2 lb |
- Informational only, not medical advice. Your pediatrician looks at growth over several visits, not one number.
- CDC categories for ages 2 through 19: underweight below the 5th percentile, healthy weight from the 5th to below the 85th, overweight from the 85th to below the 95th, obesity at the 95th or above.
Show the math
| Age used (completed months) | 10 years, 0 months (120 months, table row 120.5) |
|---|---|
| BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)^2 | 34.02 / 1.397^2 = 17.43 |
| 95th percentile BMI at this age | 23 |
| BMI for age: L, M, S | L -2.1713, M 16.862, S 0.13706 |
| BMI for age: z | +0.23, percentile 59th |
| Height for age: L, M, S | L 0.2847, M 138.211, S 0.0487 |
| Height for age: z | +0.22, percentile 59th |
| Weight for age: L, M, S | L -0.8469, M 33.064, S 0.19595 |
| Weight for age: z | +0.14, percentile 56th |
What to do next
How it works
The CDC 2000 growth charts give three numbers, L, M and S, for each month of age from 2 to 20 years, separately for boys and girls. The z-score is ((X / M)^L minus 1) divided by (L times S), and the percentile is the share of the normal curve below it. Following the CDC data files, a child aged 10 years and 0 to 30 days uses the row for 120.5 months.
When you enter both height and weight, the calculator works out BMI (weight in kg divided by height in meters squared) and places it on the BMI-for-age chart. The category follows the CDC cutoffs at the 5th, 85th and 95th percentiles.
Things to keep in mind
This is not medical advice, and BMI is a screening number, not a diagnosis. Very muscular teens can read high. Above the 97th percentile the 2000 charts lose precision; the CDC's 2022 extended BMI charts and the percent of the 95th percentile are used there instead.
Sources
Rules applied as of 2026-10-19. See the sources below for details.
- CDC, Percentile data files with LMS values (2 to 20 years)Checked 2026-10-19
- CDC, Child and teen BMI categoriesChecked 2026-10-19
- CDC, What growth charts are recommendedChecked 2026-10-19
- CDC, Extended BMI-for-age growth chartsChecked 2026-10-19
Frequently asked questions
Why does BMI for kids use percentiles?
Children's body fat changes with age and differs between boys and girls, so the same BMI means different things at 5 and at 15. A 10-year-old girl with a BMI of 17 is near the 52nd percentile, which is a healthy weight.
What are the BMI categories for children?
For ages 2 through 19 the CDC uses: underweight below the 5th percentile, healthy weight from the 5th to below the 85th, overweight from the 85th to below the 95th, and obesity at the 95th percentile or higher.
What is severe obesity in children?
A BMI at or above 120% of the 95th percentile, or 35 or higher. The AAP splits it into class 2 (120% to below 140%, or BMI 35 to below 40) and class 3 (140% or more, or BMI 40 or higher).
Which chart is used before age 2?
The CDC recommends the WHO growth standards from birth to 2 years and the CDC 2000 charts from age 2 to 20. Your pediatrician plots children under 2 on the WHO charts at each checkup.