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Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Weight Status | Percentile Range |
Underweight | <5th percentile |
Normal or Healthy Weight | 5th to <85th percentile |
Overweight | 85th to <95th percentile |
Have Obesity | 95th percentile or greater |
If you’re concerned about your BMI or your child’s BMI, talk with your doctor.
You may be diagnosed with obesity if your body mass index (BMI) is at or above 30kg/m2. You can lower your BMI by following standard weight-loss tips, such as:
If your child’s BMI is high (above the 85th percentile), talk with your doctor about how you can help your them lose weight.
An elevated BMI or diagnosis of obesity can also lead to other serious health conditions (e.g., type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, arthritis) that have symptoms of their own. Although a high BMI does increase your risk of other health complications, BMI by itself is not a very good indicator of overall health.
However, it is an important marker that should motivate you to have a discussion with your doctor.
These tools should be guides only. Don’t rely on them to make decisions about your health or your child’s health. Always talk with your doctor about your health condition(s) and/or circumstances before making any lifestyle changes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Adult Obesity Facts
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: Overweight and Obesity
National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus: Obesity