It may be easier to tell if a child is overweight simply by measuring his neck rather than calculating his or her body mass index (BMI), according to a new study from the University of Michigan.
- Dr. Olubkola Nafia studied of ,children ages 6 to 18 years old and found a link between larger necks and above average BMIs.
- A six-year-old boy whose neck circumference is greater than 11.22 inches and a girl that age whose neck is over 10.62 inches are probably overweight.
- For 18 year olds, those figures are 15.35 for boys, and 13.62 for girls.
Dr. Nafia pointed out that measuring the neck is a very quick procedure for doctors to perform, and not as invasive as measuring the waist.
The study appears in the journal Pediatrics.
Labels: childhood_obesity, overweight, bmi
Posted By: My Overweight Child
