WHO Growth References (5-19 Years)
Height-for-Age (5-19)
z = (H − μ) / σ
Stature percentile for school-age children and adolescents.
Calculate Percentile →BMI-for-Age (5-19)
BMI = W / H²
WHO BMI percentile with overweight/obese band classification.
Calculate Percentile →Weight-for-Age (5-10)
z = (W − μ) / σ
Weight percentile for children 5-10. Not extended past age 10.
Calculate Percentile →The WHO 5-19 references cover school-age children and adolescents, including the BMI-for-age standard widely used to define overweight and obesity in this age group.
WHO does not publish a weight-for-age reference beyond age 10 because weight alone becomes less meaningful as puberty drives variable growth rates; BMI-for-age is the recommended adolescent screen.
When to use these calculators
Use these in school-age and adolescent clinical contexts. The BMI-for-age chart is the primary screen for weight status in this age group, with the WHO bands defining overweight (>+1 SD) and obesity (>+2 SD).
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why does weight-for-age stop at age 10?
- After ~age 10, puberty drives highly variable growth velocities and weight becomes a less reliable single-variable indicator. WHO recommends BMI-for-age for adolescents 10-19.
- What's the difference between overweight and obese on the BMI chart?
- WHO defines overweight as BMI-for-age z > +1 SD and obese as > +2 SD in the 5-19 age range. The thresholds differ from adult BMI cutoffs (≥25 / ≥30) because growth-curve placement is the appropriate metric for children.
- Are the 5-19 references new?
- The WHO 5-19 references were released in 2007 and are based on reconstructed NCHS/WHO 1977 data for ages 5-19, harmonized with the 2006 WHO Child Growth Standards at age 5.