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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be really annoyed with the NHS for their BMI checker?

163 replies

kw1986 · 10/05/2011 19:19

Now I know my 3yo DD is healthy so I was just checking out of curiosity to see what her BMI was. Shes 3ft 3in and weighs 3st 1lb... Put all the details in and up it pops saying she is OBESE purely because she's in the 99th percentile!! Since when the fuck does that make you obese???

If I work out her actual BMI number it's 19.4 which falls into the normal range (lower normal actually)

Now what if some parent who doesn't know this is a pile of shit actually thinks their child is obese and starts cutting down on food etc? Its made me quite irrationally angry really. They are the NHS for petes sake, surely they should know better. (Prob doesnt help for the entire first year of DD's life I had a stupid HV that kept telling me DD was too heavy despite being on the same percentile for her weight AND height, and also her head circ.)

AIBU to be so annoyed right now?

www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx

OP posts:
missmyoldname · 10/05/2011 20:12

In your defence OP, I do worry about these assessments.
My 2yo DS was weighed recently. IMO he is VERY thin. Thin arms and legs, stomach almost concave. And apparently he is on the 55th centile!

I was really shocked.

My DD is 4.5 and according to the chart is on the 87th centile. There is not an ounce of fat on her so go figure!

chicletteeth · 10/05/2011 20:15

Children should be thin. There should be very little fat on a child (who is old enough to be assessed by BMI anyway).

There are so many tubby kids nowadays that having a little bit of extra fat looks normal and healthy; it's not and often isn't

missmyoldname · 10/05/2011 20:16

Btw my DD is 1.5y older, 3lbs heavier, and 6 inches taller than your DD.

AuntieBranflake · 10/05/2011 20:17

Oh crap, I'm paranoid now! I've just filled in one of these type forms for my DS (3yrs 5mo) and he is 102cm tall and approx. 15kg (with his clothes and sandals on - I wasn't that bothered when I did it - but I am now).

That nhs link comes up with a blank page for me, so I can't type in his details, can some kind soul put me out of my misery and do it for me? [grovelling emoticon].

melpomene · 10/05/2011 20:20

Using the growth charts here, from the figures given the OP's dd would be around the 90th percentile for height, but off the charts (above the 99th percentile) for weight.

Yukana · 10/05/2011 20:21

BMI is full of shit anyway. It doesn't take into account hardly anything, for instance their muscle mass, lifestyle, metabolism, etc etc. I honestly think too many people are focused on it, considering it's a load of crap.

chicletteeth · 10/05/2011 20:21

He's fine auntie. 19th centile. 15 kg is not that much

Takver · 10/05/2011 20:21

missmy - is that the 55th centile for bmi, or the 55th centile for weight?

Because if he's on the 55th centile for weight, but tall for his age, that would make total sense with him being very skinny. (ie he could be on the 80th or 90th percentile for height, but only 55th for weight)

chicletteeth · 10/05/2011 20:22

Yes yukana, you need to use it in conjunction with other data when assessing individuals.
But it's not crap, by a long shot.

missmyoldname · 10/05/2011 20:22

BMI Calculator for Child and Teen Calculate again:English | Metric

Information Entered
Age: 3 years 4 months

Sex: Boy
Birth Date: December 12, 2007 Height: 102.0 centimeters
Date of Measurement: May 10, 2011 Weight: 15.0 kilograms

Results

Based on the height and weight entered, the BMI is 14.4 , placing the BMI-for-age at the 7th percentile for boys aged 3 years 4 months. This child has a healthy weight.

colditz · 10/05/2011 20:24

Just ring the health visitor, this is what they are for.

missmyoldname · 10/05/2011 20:24

Takver - the 55th centile was going by the BMI website, which takes into account height. For weight (according to HV) he was approx 50th.

AuntieBranflake · 10/05/2011 20:28

Thanks chicle and missmy - can relax now!

NeverSayPie · 10/05/2011 20:31

BMI is not a load of rubbish, its used because its a good guide. Unless you are a serious athlete, it will be fairly accurate. You don't need to take much into account except for weight, height and age. If your BMI says you are morbidly obese, you can't kid yourself you are perfectly fine just because you personally don't believe in BMI.

littlebird3 · 10/05/2011 20:32

My ds is 5 & weighs the same, he is within the correct weight range for his age, height etc.
It must be hard to accept your child is overweight but I think the NHS guidlines are probably correct ! :)

pointythings · 10/05/2011 20:33

My DD2 is 4 ft 5 and 4 st 10 lb, so well over a foot taller and only 1 st 9lb heavier - she is on the 52nd centile for BMI. Your DD does sound quite big.

TalkinPeace2 · 10/05/2011 20:36

NB
Normal BMI tables are ONLY for those whose thigh bones (which determine adult height) have finished growing.
People with very low fat and high muscle are often measures as BMI around 26 - 28 (rugby players and rowers are the classic)

Sidge · 10/05/2011 20:39

YABU to be annoyed with the NHS when it's your understanding of the BMI charts and values that is wrong.

BMI in isolation has little value and is best used as part of a visual assessment but you can't dispute that a 3 year old of average height weighing the same as the "average" 6 year old is very overweight.

She may well be healthy now but being significantly overweight for her height may well lead to health problems.

ib · 10/05/2011 20:46

www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/cht_bfa_girls_p_2_5.pdf here is the WHO BMI for age chart for girls.

19.4 is very, very high.

thaigreencurry · 10/05/2011 20:49

3st does sound very overweight for that age. Ds was 3st7lb at 7 years and he was on the 50th centile. I was about that weight at 3 and when I look back at photos I was a right little porker. My mum was in denial I think.

JemimaMop · 10/05/2011 21:00

DS2 is almost 7 and weighs the same as your DD, but is a good 6 inches taller. He is, according to your link, on the 52nd centile for his age so pretty average.

YABU to be annoyed with the NHS.

TrillianAstra · 10/05/2011 21:07

YABU to be annoyed when you don't understand it.

Anyone who says 'Mike Tyson at his pak was morbidly obese by BMI so it doesn't work' is BU also. For most people your healthy weight will be that which gives you a BMI between 19 and 25. What part of "most people" don't you understand?

thatwasntverycleverwasit · 10/05/2011 21:15

My little girl has just turned 2, weighs 2st 4lbs and is categorically NOT even a little bit fat. She still fits in 1yr to 18 month trousers comfortably, yet according to her BMI she is obese. Isn't anyone else in the same boat as me and the OP?

slavewife · 10/05/2011 21:18

youre 3, year old weighs more than my 5 year old, and also my 22 month old.

My ds2 is on the 40th centile Shock he absolutely massive for a 22 month old, but his height is the same as a average 4 year old, hes classed as underweight, purely because of his height however if he was a average height he would be classed as obese, by his current weight.

NHS is in the process of getting a new BMI, calculator, however not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

JemimaMop · 10/05/2011 21:22

thatwasn'tverycleverwasit How tall is your DD? As she weighs more than my (admittedly skinny) 5yr old DD.