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WHO Weight-for-Height Growth Chart (2-5 Years)

Plot your child's weight relative to their standing height using WHO growth standards. This chart assesses body proportionality for children aged 2-5 years.

LMS Method: Z = ((X/M)^L - 1) / (L x S)

How It Works

This calculator uses WHO growth standards to assess weight-for-height (standing) in children aged 2 to 5 years. Unlike weight-for-age, weight-for-height evaluates whether a child's weight is proportionate to their body size, independent of age. This is the standing-height equivalent of weight-for-length (which uses recumbent length for children under 2). The WHO data covers heights from 65 cm to 120 cm.

Example Problem

A girl with a standing height of 100 cm weighs 15.4 kg. What is her weight-for-height percentile?

  1. Select 'Girl' for gender.
  2. Enter 100 cm for height.
  3. Enter 15.4 kg for weight.
  4. The calculator finds the LMS parameters for girls at 100 cm and computes the Z-score.
  5. Result: approximately the 50th percentile, indicating the child's weight is proportionate to her height.

Key Concepts

Weight-for-height assesses body proportionality using standing height for children 2 and older. Below the 3rd percentile may indicate wasting (acute undernutrition). Above the 97th percentile may indicate overweight. Between the 15th and 85th percentiles is generally considered normal. For children over 5, BMI-for-age is more commonly used. Weight-for-height is especially useful when exact age is uncertain or when assessing acute nutritional status.

Applications

  • Identifying wasting (acute undernutrition) in toddlers and preschoolers
  • Screening for overweight in the 2-5 year age group
  • Nutritional assessment in community health and humanitarian settings
  • Monitoring recovery from acute malnutrition
  • Complementary assessment alongside weight-for-age and height-for-age

Common Mistakes

  • Confusing weight-for-height with weight-for-length — weight-for-height uses standing height, weight-for-length uses recumbent length
  • Using recumbent length instead of standing height for children over 2
  • Using this chart for children over 5 — BMI-for-age is recommended for older children
  • Not accounting for the 0.7 cm difference between standing height and recumbent length
  • Ignoring that body proportionality can vary with ethnicity and family build

Frequently Asked Questions

How is weight-for-height different from weight-for-length?

Weight-for-length uses recumbent length (measured lying down) for children under 2. Weight-for-height uses standing height for children 2-5. Standing height is typically about 0.7 cm shorter than recumbent length, and the WHO provides separate reference data for each.

What height range does this calculator cover?

This calculator uses WHO data covering heights from 65 cm to 120 cm. Heights outside this range are not covered by the WHO weight-for-height growth standards for 2-5 years.

When should I use weight-for-height vs. BMI?

The WHO weight-for-height chart is designed for children aged 2-5 years. For older children and adolescents, BMI-for-age is more commonly used. Both assess whether weight is proportionate to body size, but BMI-for-age extends through age 20.

What do the percentile ranges mean?

Below the 3rd percentile may indicate wasting (acute undernutrition). Above the 97th percentile may indicate overweight. Between the 15th and 85th percentiles is generally considered the normal range for weight-for-height.

Reference: WHO Child Growth Standards. World Health Organization, 2006. https://www.who.int/tools/child-growth-standards

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