childhood obesity childhood obesity childhood obesity is a condition where excess body fat negatively affects a child's health or well-being. as methods to determine body fat directly are difficult, the diagnosis of obesity is often based on bmi. due to the rising prevalence of obesity in children and its many adverse health effects it is being recognized as a serious public health concern. the term 'overweight' rather than 'obese' is often used when discussing childhood obesity, as it is less stigmatizing, although the term 'overweight' can also refer to a different bmi category. the prevalence of childhood obesity is known to differ by sex and gender. childhood obesitychildren with varying degrees of body fatspecialtyendocrinology, pediatrics, bariatrics part of a series onhuman body weight general concepts obesity (epidemiology) overweight underweight body shape weight gain weight loss gestational weight gain diet (nutrition) weight management overnutrition childhood obesity (epidemiology) medical concepts adipose tissue classification of obesity genetics of obesity metabolic syndrome (epidemiology of metabolic syndrome) metabolically healthy obesity obesity paradox set point theory measurements body adiposity index body mass index body fat percentage body shape index corpulence index lean body mass relative fat mass waist–hip ratio waist-to-height ratio related conditions diabetes (type 1) eating disorder (anorexia • bulimia • binge eating disorder) food addiction hyperthyroidism malnutrition red-s starvation (starvation response) pcos obesity-associated morbidity arteriosclerosis atherosclerosis fatty liver disease gerd gynecomastia heart disease hypertension obesity and cancer osteoarthritis prediabetes sleep apnea type 2 diabetes management of obesity anti-obesity medication bariatrics bariatric surgery dieting (list of diets) caloric deficit exercise (outline) liposuction obesity medicine weight loss camp weight loss coaching yo-yo effect social aspects comfort food fast food (criticism) fat acceptance movement fat fetishism health at every size hunger obesity and the environment obesity and sexuality sedentary lifestyle social determinants of obesity social stigma of obesity weight cutting weight class classification main article: classification of childhood obesity bmi for age percentiles for boys 2 to 20 years of age bmi for age percentiles for girls 2 to 20 years of age body mass index (bmi) is acceptable for determining obesity for children two years of age and older. it is determined by the ratio of weight to height. the normal range for bmi in children vary with age and sex. while a bmi above the 85th percentile is defined as overweight, a bmi greater than or equal to the 95th percentile is defined as obesity by centers for disease control and prevention. it has published tables for determining this in children. the us preventive service task force reported that not all children with a high bmi need to lose weight though. high bmi can identify a possible weight problem, but does not differentiate between fat or lean tissue. additionally, bmi may mistakenly rule out some children who do have excess adipose tissue. it is therefore beneficial to supplement the reliability of a bmi diagnosis with additional screening tools such as adipose tissue or skin fold measurements. effects on health psychological