Your Child's Measurements and Talking about Weight

Children grow quickly and their body shape changes over time so it can be difficult to know whether they are growing appropriately and what this means for their overall health and wellbeing.  You can use the NHS Body Mass Index calculator to check if your child's measurements are within the healthy range.

• For children over 2 years old, this guide gives instructions on measuring height.  If you need further help, ask your child's GP, Health Visitor or School Nurse.
• For children under 2 years old, please ask your Health Visitor or GP to measure your child's weight and length.

Talking about weight with children and young people can be a difficult and emotive subject.  The language we use to discuss weight can have a significant effect on the conversation and an impact on creating negative or positive experiences.  If you decide to speak to your child, talking openly about weight can help to build trust and reassure your child that it is not something to feel ashamed about.  Here are some tips that can help you talk about weight:

• Avoid blame, focus instead on the healthy things you and your family can do
• Talk about weight in a kind and supportive way
• Talk about how weight is important for health, energy and what the body can do
• Teach your child that everyone deserves respect, whatever their body size, shape or ability

More tips and advice can be found at the links below.