How to tell if your child is overweight

1. Measure your child's weight in kilograms.

2. Measure your child's height in metres.

3. Square the height measurement (i.e. multiply it by itself).

4. Divide the weight by the height in metres squared. This is the Body Mass Index (BMI).

5. Check the BMI against your child's age and sex on the charts above.

Example:

A 7-year-old girl who is 1.2m tall and weighs 26kg has a BMI of 18, which is considered overweight.

    26 ÷ 1.2² = 18

Limitations:

The BMI test does not distinguish between fat, bone and muscle, so results should be treated cautiously for some groups of people. These include:

* Pacific Islanders (who often have large bones) and Asians (who often have small bones),

* Athletes with well-developed muscles,

* Pregnant or breastfeeding women or people over 65, who may need exta weight reserves.