As part of regular well-child care, the Providers at Baby & Child Associates calculate your child's BMI and determines where it falls on the BMI-for-age growth chart. The BMI helps indicate if your child is overweight for his or her age and height.

Your Provider will us the BMI and growth chart to determine your child's percentile, meaning how your child compares with other children of the same sex and age. For example, if your child is in the 80th percentile, it means that compared with other children of the same sex and age, 80% have a lower BMI.

In addition to BMI and charting weight on the growth charts, the Provider will evaluate family history of obesity, your child’s eating habits, your child’s activity level and other health conditions of your child.

Your child's Provider might order blood tests to check your child’s cholesterol, blood sugar or possible hormone imbalances.

Your child’s Provider will use all this information to determine if your child needs treatment for childhood obesity. Treatment usually includes changes in your child's eating habits and physical activity level.