Centile Assessment for a 12-Year-Old Boy
Based on the UK WHO growth charts, a 12-year-old boy with a height of 163.5 cm and weight of 49.1 kg is approximately at the 90th centile for height and between the 50th-75th centile for weight.
Height Assessment
- According to the data from Table 7 in the CDC/WHO growth charts, a 12-14 year old boy with a height of 163.5 cm falls at approximately the 90th centile (the 90th centile value is listed as 154.6 cm for 12-14 year olds) 1
- The height of 163.5 cm is significantly above the mean height of 141.4 cm for boys aged 12-14 years, indicating above-average height for age 1
- When comparing to the specific 12-year-old reference data, this height places the boy well above the 85th percentile, as the 85th percentile for 12-14 year olds is 153.0 cm 1
Weight Assessment
- The boy's weight of 49.1 kg places him between the 50th and 75th centiles for his age group 1
- For boys aged 12-14 years, the 50th centile weight is approximately 42-45 kg, while the 75th centile is around 49-50 kg, placing this boy's weight in the upper-normal range 1
- This weight is proportionate to his height, which is also above average for his age 1
BMI Assessment
- Calculating the BMI: 49.1 kg ÷ (1.635 m)² = 18.4 kg/m²
- This BMI value falls within the normal range for a 12-year-old boy, between the 50th-75th centiles 1
- The normal BMI range for boys this age is approximately 16-21 kg/m² 1
Clinical Interpretation
- The boy's height is significantly above average for his age group, suggesting he may be experiencing an early growth spurt or is constitutionally tall 1
- His weight is proportionate to his height, indicating a balanced growth pattern 1
- The combination of height at the 90th centile and weight between the 50th-75th centile suggests a healthy growth pattern without evidence of overweight or underweight status 1
Important Considerations
- Growth patterns should be evaluated in the context of previous measurements to assess growth velocity 2
- Parental heights are important for determining if the child's height is appropriate for his genetic potential 2, 3
- The transition between different measurement techniques (recumbent length to standing height) can affect centile placement, but this is not relevant for a 12-year-old 4
- Growth charts may vary slightly between different populations and time periods, but the UK WHO charts represent the current standard for assessment 1, 5