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. 2000 May 6;320(7244):1240. doi: 10.1136/bmj.320.7244.1240

Table 4.

International cut off points for body mass index for overweight and obesity by sex between 2 and 18 years, defined to pass through body mass index of 25 and 30 kg/m2 at age 18, obtained by averaging data from Brazil, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Singapore, and United States

Age (years) Body mass index 25 kg/m2
Body mass index 30 kg/m2
Males Females Males Females
2 18.41 18.02 20.09 19.81
2.5 18.13 17.76 19.80 19.55
3 17.89 17.56 19.57 19.36
3.5 17.69 17.40 19.39 19.23
4 17.55 17.28 19.29 19.15
4.5 17.47 17.19 19.26 19.12
5 17.42 17.15 19.30 19.17
5.5 17.45 17.20 19.47 19.34
6 17.55 17.34 19.78 19.65
6.5 17.71 17.53 20.23 20.08
7 17.92 17.75 20.63 20.51
7.5 18.16 18.03 21.09 21.01
8 18.44 18.35 21.60 21.57
8.5 18.76 18.69 22.17 22.18
9 19.10 19.07 22.77 22.81
9.5 19.46 19.45 23.39 23.46
10 19.84 19.86 24.00 24.11
10.5 20.20 20.29 24.57 24.77
11 20.55 20.74 25.10 25.42
11.5 20.89 21.20 25.58 26.05
12 21.22 21.68 26.02 26.67
12.5 21.56 22.14 26.43 27.24
13 21.91 22.58 26.84 27.76
13.5 22.27 22.98 27.25 28.20
14 22.62 23.34 27.63 28.57
14.5 22.96 23.66 27.98 28.87
15 23.29 23.94 28.30 29.11
15.5 23.60 24.17 28.60 29.29
16 23.90 24.37 28.88 29.43
16.5 24.19 24.54 29.14 29.56
17 24.46 24.70 29.41 29.69
17.5 24.73 24.85 29.70 29.84
18 25 25 30 30