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The children's Body Mass Index (BMI) is used to assess whether the child or adolescent is at the ideal weight, and can be done in consultations with the pediatrician or at home, by the parents.
Child BMI is a relationship between the child's weight and height between 6 months and 18 years old, which indicates whether the current weight is above, below or within normal, helping to identify child malnutrition or obesity.
To calculate the BMI of the child and adolescent, use the following calculator:
Usually, the pediatrician relates the BMI value with age, to check whether the child's or adolescent's development is going according to expectations. Thus, if it is found that there are changes in this relationship, the pediatrician can indicate, together with the nutritionist, changes in eating habits.
What to do if your BMI is changed
In order to reach the appropriate BMI for the child, changes in lifestyle and eating habits must be made, involving not only the child, but also the family environment where he is inserted:
How to increase BMI
If the BMI is below the values considered normal, it is important to take the child to a pediatrician and nutritionist, as it is necessary to evaluate several factors that help to identify the cause of weight loss and what are the existing nutritional problems, in order to define strategies that allow the child to regain their weight.
In general, weight recovery consists of eating a diet that includes foods rich in protein and good fats, in addition to taking a multivitamin, and a nutritional supplement, such as Pediasure, which helps provide more calories and complements the diet. .
How to lower BMI
When the BMI is high, it can be indicative of overweight or obesity, and it is important that the treatment focus on promoting healthy eating habits and behaviors, low in sugars and fats, an adequate lifestyle that promotes physical activity and the promotion of a positive self-esteem.
To overcome excess weight, treatment should not only be focused on the child. It is also important to assess the family environment and make changes that involve all members of the family. In addition, the most appropriate is that the child with excess weight is not evaluated only by a nutritionist, but by a multidisciplinary team, which also includes a pediatrician and a psychologist, which will allow the change in habits to be achieved and maintained at the same time. over time.
Check out other tips in the following video to help your child lose weight, in health: