Is My Tall Child's Weight Healthy? Understanding BMI & Growth Percentiles

Question
My child just turned 7 and is 4'7" and weighs 100lbs. The BMI calculator considers that obese due to the age of my child. My child has always been very tall in the 98th percentile for height and weight since birth. Should I worry or is this normal?

Answer
Dear Sarahnay, If you go by the growth percentile chart, then a healthy weight for a 7 year old boy who is seven and is 55 inches tall would be about 88 pounds. A girl should weigh about 85 pounds. If your child is not visibly overweight, then don't worry. If your child does carry extra weight, then maintain the current weight and wait for he/she to grow into it (one inch equals 5-7 pound), or help them to lose 5-10 pounds with extra exercise and cutting out the snacks. Hope that helps, Laura Kraemer,Slimkids.com