A child's height and weight should increase proportionately as he or she grows. This is known as a healthy height-weight trajectory. If the weight gain is disproportionate to the height increase, the accumulation of body fat occurs.
Since there is no way of directly measuring body fat volume, doctors use a guideline called the Body Mass Index (BMI) to determine if the child is overweight. The formula is : BMI= Weight (kg) / height (m)2.
Article by Dr. Pushkala.M.S.
MBBS, MD, PGDID (Australia)
Consultant Paediatrician, Kauvery Hospital