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Baby Weight Percentages
What Percentile Is Your Child In, and Does It Matter?
By Lisa A. Goldstein
Your friend recently bragged that her son was in the 90th percentile for weight. But at your son's recent checkup, the doctor said he was in the 10th percentile. Why are you feeling competitive all of a sudden, and does the difference really matter?
Indeed, new parents often can't wait to have their baby weighed so they can see what percentile he or she is in. But what do baby weight percentages really mean? This is a weighty issue – no pun intended.
These numbers are based on data that has been collected on kids' growth in the United States through the National Center for Health Statistics since the 1960s. The first growth charts were developed for use in the late 1970s, and later revised in 2000, based on updated height and weight data that was collected. Nowadays, Body Mass Index (BMI) growth charts are also used. BMI is a way of monitoring growth and can help to predict future high cholesterol, heart disease and obesity – major health risks to today's society. The size of an infant's head is also monitored when looking at growth and development.
It's a snapshot, Dr. Lonzer says. "Growth percentiles tell us how children are growing compared to other kids their age, but only at that moment in time," she says. "It is most important, when evaluating growth, to look over time. Children who start small and cross percentiles, becoming larger, may be developing obesity, but their height may be increasing at the same rate, meaning that they are growing proportionately and well, causing no worries for parents or physicians. Children who start at higher percentiles and drop lower may be developing a metabolic illness, getting inadequate nutrition, exercising heavily or they may just be settling into a lower percentile."
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Re: by anonymous on 07/05/2009 12:07AM
if more of these mothers would breastfeed, obesity and learning problems would disappear" ---yeah,OK Judith. Looks like you've solved all our problems.
infant formula by Judith on 06/29/2009 02:44AM
if more of these mothers would breastfeed, obesity and learning problems would disappear, i highly fought the hospital for promoting c section chemical filled births along with infant formula companies for the demise of americans and their children. My son was breastfed from the start and he is in the 60th percentile for height and 46th percentile for weight. Growing nicely. Did I mention that he has NEVER been sick?
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Baby Weight Percentages by slc on 07/08/2009 07:49PM
no she didnt solve all but it would be a start. think about it, used to be what most mothers did and we didnt have of the learning disabilities and childhood diseases we do now. it is scientific fact that breastmilk reduces obesity and increases brain development. look at the stats and you would be shocked! take away TV as a sitter and we would really be onto something!