DI 24570.002 Body Mass Index (BMI) Tables for Establishing Obesity in Children from Age 2 to the Attainment of Age 18

A. Policy

Social Security Ruling 19-2p explains that a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for a child's age is generally considered sufficient to establish the diagnosis of obesity (see Evaluation of Obesity DI 24570.001). As with adults, the amount of body fat is considered in making the diagnosis of obesity in children.

B. Procedure

1.

For each set of weight and height measurements, calculate the BMI. Use the formula for calculating BMI in 105.00F2c (see Digestive Disorders -- Child DI 34005.105F). Or use the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Child and Teen BMI Calculator at:

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/bmi/calculator.html.
2.

Use the appropriate chart in subsection DI 24570.002C. or DI 24570.002D. below and find the child's age (in years and months) in Column 1. If the BMI is equal to or greater than the value shown in Column 2, the BMI-for-age measurement is above the 95th percentile.
3.

Repeat step 1 for each additional weight and height measurement in file.
4.

We generally consider the child to have a medically determinable impairment of obesity as long as there is a consistent pattern of BMI-for-age measurements and other medical findings.

C. BMI - 95th percentile for males from age 2 to the attainment of age 18

Use the table below for males from age 2 to the attainment of age 18.

Age (in yrs. and mos.)	BMI
2.0	19.3
2.1	19.2
2.2	19.1
2.3	19.0
2.4	18.9
2.5	18.8
2.6	18.7
2.7	18.6
2.8	18.5
2.9	18.4
2.10	18.4
2.11	18.3
3.0	18.2
3.1	18.2
3.2	18.1
3.3	18.1
3.4	18.0
3.5	18.0
3.6	18.0
3.7	17.9
3.8	17.9
3.9	17.9
3.10	17.9
3.11	17.8
4.0	17.8
4.1	17.8
4.2	17.8
4.3	17.8
4.4	17.8
4.5	17.8
4.6	17.8
4.7	17.8
4.8	17.9
4.9	17.9
4.10	17.9
4.11	17.9
5.0	17.9
5.1	18.0
5.2	18.0
5.3	18.0
5.4	18.1
5.5	18.1
5.6	18.1
5.7	18.2
5.8	18.2
5.9	18.3
5.10	18.3
5.11	18.4
6.0	18.4
6.1	18.5
6.2	18.5
6.3	18.6
6.4	18.6
6.5	18.7
6.6	18.8
6.7	18.8
6.8	18.9
6.9	18.9
6.10	19.0
6.11	19.1
7.0	19.2
7.1	19.2
7.2	19.3
7.3	19.4
7.4	19.4
7.5	19.5
7.6	19.6
7.7	19.7
7.8	19.7
7.9	19.8
7.10	19.9
7.11	20.0
8.0	20.1
8.1	20.1
8.2	20.2
8.3	20.3
8.4	20.4
8.5	20.5
8.6	20.6
8.7	20.7
8.8	20.7
8.9	20.8
8.10	20.9
8.11	21.0
9.0	21.1
9.1	21.2
9.2	21.3
9.3	21.4
9.4	21.4
9.5	21.5
9.6	21.6
9.7	21.7
9.8	21.8
9.9	21.9
9.10	22.0
9.11	22.1
10.0	22.2
10.1	22.2
10.2	22.3
10.3	22.4
10.4	22.5
10.5	22.6
10.6	22.7
10.7	22.8
10.8	22.9
10.9	23.0
10.10	23.0
10.11	23.1
11.0	23.2
11.1	23.3
11.2	23.4
11.3	23.5
11.4	23.6
11.5	23.6
11.6	23.7
11.7	23.8
11.8	23.9
11.9	24.0
11.10	24.1
11.11	24.1
12.0	24.2
12.1	24.3
12.2	24.4
12.3	24.5
12.4	24.6
12.5	24.6
12.6	24.7
12.7	24.8
12.8	24.9
12.9	24.9
12.10	25.0
12.11	25.1
13.0	25.2
13.1	25.3
13.2	25.3
13.3	25.4
13.4	25.5
13.5	25.5
13.6	25.6
13.7	25.7
13.8	25.8
13.9	25.8
13.10	25.9
13.11	26.0
14.0	26.0
14.1	26.1
14.2	26.2
14.3	26.3
14.4	26.3
14.5	26.4
14.6	26.5
14.7	26.5
14.8	26.6
14.9	26.6
14.10	26.7
14.11	26.8
15.0	26.8
15.1	26.9
15.2	27.0
15.3	27.0
15.4	27.1
15.5	27.1
15.6	27.2
15.7	27.3
15.8	27.3
15.9	27.4
15.10	27.4
15.11	27.5
16.0	27.6
16.1	27.6
16.2	27.7
16.3	27.7
16.4	27.8
16.5	27.9
16.6	27.9
16.7	28.0
16.8	28.0
16.9	28.1
16.10	28.1
16.11	28.2
17.0	28.3
17.1	28.3
17.2	28.4
17.3	28.4
17.4	28.5
17.5	28.5
17.6	28.6
17.7	28.7
17.8	28.7
17.9	28.8
17.10	28.8
17.11	28.9

D. BMI - 95th percentile for females from age 2 to the attainment of age 18

Use the table below for females from age 2 to the attainment of age 18.

Age (in yrs. and mos.)	BMI
2.0	19.1
2.1	19.0
2.2	18.9
2.3	18.8
2.4	18.7
2.5	18.6
2.6	18.6
2.7	18.5
2.8	18.5
2.9	18.4
2.10	18.3
2.11	18.3
3.0	18.3
3.1	18.2
3.2	18.2
3.3	18.1
3.4	18.1
3.5	18.1
3.6	18.1
3.7	18.1
3.8	18.0
3.9	18.0
3.10	18.0
3.11	18.0
4.0	18.0
4.1	18.0
4.2	18.0
4.3	18.0
4.4	18.1
4.5	18.1
4.6	18.1
4.7	18.1
4.8	18.1
4.9	18.2
4.10	18.2
4.11	18.2
5.0	18.3
5.1	18.3
5.2	18.3
5.3	18.4
5.4	18.4
5.5	18.5
5.6	18.5
5.7	18.6
5.8	18.6
5.9	18.7
5.10	18.7
5.11	18.8
6.0	18.8
6.1	18.9
6.2	19.0
6.3	19.0
6.4	19.1
6.5	19.2
6.6	19.2
6.7	19.3
6.8	19.4
6.9	19.4
6.10	19.5
6.11	19.6
7.0	19.7
7.1	19.8
7.2	19.8
7.3	19.9
7.4	20.0
7.5	20.1
7.6	20.2
7.7	20.3
7.8	20.3
7.9	20.4
7.10	20.5
7.11	20.6
8.0	20.7
8.1	20.8
8.2	20.9
8.3	21.0
8.4	21.1
8.5	21.2
8.6	21.2
8.7	21.3
8.8	21.4
8.9	21.5
8.10	21.6
8.11	21.7
9.0	21.8
9.1	21.9
9.2	22.0
9.3	22.1
9.4	22.2
9.5	22.3
9.6	22.4
9.7	22.5
9.8	22.6
9.9	22.7
9.10	22.8
9.11	22.9
10.0	23.0
10.1	23.1
10.2	23.2
10.3	23.3
10.4	23.4
10.5	23.5
10.6	23.6
10.7	23.7
10.8	23.8
10.9	23.9
10.10	24.0
10.11	24.0
11.0	24.1
11.1	24.2
11.2	24.3
11.3	24.4
11.4	24.5
11.5	24.6
11.6	24.7
11.7	24.8
11.8	24.9
11.9	25.0
11.10	25.1
11.11	25.2
12.0	25.3
12.1	25.3
12.2	25.4
12.3	25.5
12.4	25.6
12.5	25.7
12.6	25.8
12.7	25.9
12.8	26.0
12.9	26.0
12.10	26.1
12.11	26.2
13.0	26.3
13.1	26.4
13.2	26.5
13.3	26.5
13.4	26.6
13.5	26.7
13.6	26.8
13.7	26.9
13.8	26.9
13.9	27.0
13.10	27.1
13.11	27.2
14.0	27.3
14.1	27.3
14.2	27.4
14.3	27.5
14.4	27.6
14.5	27.6
14.6	27.7
14.7	27.8
14.8	27.8
14.9	27.9
14.10	28.0
14.11	28.1
15.0	28.1
15.1	28.2
15.2	28.3
15.3	28.3
15.4	28.4
15.5	28.5
15.6	28.5
15.7	28.6
15.8	28.7
15.9	28.7
15.10	28.8
15.11	28.8
16.0	28.9
16.1	29.0
16.2	29.0
16.3	29.1
16.4	29.2
16.5	29.2
16.6	29.3
16.7	29.3
16.8	29.4
16.9	29.5
16.10	29.5
16.11	29.6
17.0	29.6
17.1	29.7
17.2	29.8
17.3	29.8
17.4	29.9
17.5	29.9
17.6	30.0
17.7	30.0
17.8	30.0
17.9	30.0
17.10	30.0
17.11	30.0

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0424570002

DI 24570.002 - Body Mass Index (BMI) Tables for Establishing Obesity in Children from Age 2 to the Attainment of Age 18 - 10/19/2023
Batch run: 10/19/2023
Rev:10/19/2023

Program Operations Manual System (POMS)

DI 24570.002 Body Mass Index (BMI) Tables for Establishing Obesity in Children from Age 2 to the Attainment of Age 18

A. Policy

B. Procedure

C. BMI - 95th percentile for males from age 2 to the attainment of age 18

D. BMI - 95th percentile for females from age 2 to the attainment of age 18