How to recognize obesity?
Swimsuit will show who is overweight but T-shirt can not hide obesity.
It is seemingly felt to be the case that obesity is a well known concept. But when we begin to look for an exact definition, you´ll be surprised how different sources vary. Perhaps the most concise definition says the obesity is a condition in which the natural energy reserve, stored in adipose tissue, has risen above the usual level of health hazard.
Body mass index
Adults with a normal body composition are considered to be obese, when the Body Mass Index (BMI, calculated as body weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) is of more than 30 units and are considered to be overweight when it is more than 25 units. BMI over 30 is associated with increased health risks. BMI of 28 puts people at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In children, these criteria can not be used because the ratio of the weight and height, and hence the BMI changes throughout childhood and adolescence.
BMI varies significantly with age
BMI for children is determine by percentile charts. The percentile tables determine if the child is normal, whether overweight or vice versa is very meager. Within the ratio of height and weight from birth to adulthood varies significantly. Within child´s first year BMI rises sharply, then until the sixth year due to child´s rapid growth decreases, and than rises again till the eighteenth year.
Evaluation of the child by its inclusion in BMI percentile ranges
| percentile range | Evaluation of the child by BMI |
| over 99 percentile | severe obesity |
| 97 – 99 percentile | light obesity |
| 90 – 97 percentile | overweight |
| 75 – 90 percentile | robust |
Beware of critical values
Extreme values percentile ranges less than 3 for malnutrion and more than 99 for severe obesity in other case you must consult with the experts! For over 90 percentile, or any doubt, consult your child´s physician who are the tables designed for.
Record of basic body measurements of central European population is recorded in „The health and vaccination certificate“ of the child and young person in the accompanying charts and in the loose sheets. There is a professional monitoring and data archiving program Růst.cz.