Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
07:56

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

18.5K

BMI-for-Age and Weight-for-Length in Children 0 to 2 Years

Kayla R Furlong1, Laura N Anderson2, Huiying Kang3

  • 1Child Health and Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute, and.

Pediatrics
|June 26, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Body Mass Index-for-age (BIA) shows strong agreement with weight-for-length in infants and toddlers. This growth indicator is reliable from birth, even with routine data collection.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Growth Monitoring
  • Nutritional Assessment

Background:

  • Accurate growth assessment in children under two is crucial for early identification of potential health issues.
  • Weight-for-length has been a standard measure, but Body Mass Index-for-age (BMI-for-age) is increasingly considered for a broader age range.
  • Understanding the agreement between these measures is vital for consistent clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the concordance between weight-for-length and BMI-for-age in children aged 0 to <2 years.
  • To identify factors influencing the agreement between these growth metrics.
  • To compare the agreement using research-collected versus routinely collected data.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study analyzed data from 1632 healthy, term-born children aged 0 to <2 years.
  • Measurements of length and weight were collected during both research and routine clinical visits.
  • BMI-for-age z-scores were compared against weight-for-length z-scores using correlation and Bland-Altman analysis.

Main Results:

  • A strong correlation (r = 0.986) and good agreement were found between weight-for-length and BMI-for-age.
  • A low misclassification rate (6.3%) was observed, primarily near percentile cutoffs.
  • Agreement remained high and consistent between research-collected and routinely collected data.

Conclusions:

  • BMI-for-age demonstrates high agreement with weight-for-length and low misclassification in young children.
  • BMI-for-age is a potentially suitable growth indicator from birth through early childhood.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the association of BMI-for-age in this age group with long-term health outcomes.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

28.0K
Author Spotlight: Advancements in 3D Optical Imaging for Comprehensive Body Composition Assessment in Modern Research06:48

Author Spotlight: Advancements in 3D Optical Imaging for Comprehensive Body Composition Assessment in Modern Research

Published on: June 7, 2024

2.2K

Related Concept Videos

Obesity01:24

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...
1.5K
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
693
z Scores and Area Under the Curve01:17

z Scores and Area Under the Curve

z scores are the standardized values obtained after converting a normal distribution into a standard normal distribution. A z score is measured in units of the standard deviation. The z score tells you how many standard deviations the value x is above (to the right of) or below (to the left of) the mean, μ. Values of x that are larger than the mean have positive z scores, and values of x that are smaller than the mean have negative z scores. If x equals the mean, then x has a z score of...
20.0K
Drug Dosing in Renal Diseases: Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate Based on Serum Creatinine Concentration01:28

Drug Dosing in Renal Diseases: Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate Based on Serum Creatinine Concentration

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) can be estimated from serum creatinine using the modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) formula or the chronic kidney disease–epidemiology collaboration (CKD–EPI) equation. Both methods are widely used in clinical practice to assess kidney function and guide treatment decisions.The MDRD equation does not require weight or height measurements and is normalized to the body surface area of 1.73 m², considered the average adult surface area.
292
Drug Dosing: Obese Patients01:21

Drug Dosing: Obese Patients

In the United States, obesity is a prominent concern. It is linked to heightened mortality rates due to increased occurrences of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes compared to nonobese individuals. A patient is classified as obese if their actual body weight surpasses the ideal or desirable body weight by 20%, based on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data. Ideal body weights consider average weights and heights for males and females...
332
Uniform Distribution01:19

Uniform Distribution

The uniform distribution is a continuous probability distribution of events with an equal probability of occurrence. This distribution is rectangular.
Two essential properties of this distribution are
6.4K