Growth Centile Assessment for 15-Year-Old Girl
For a 15-year-old girl with weight 62.9 kg and height 166.3 cm, the height is approximately at the 50th centile (normal/average) and the weight is approximately at the 75th centile on UK WHO growth charts, indicating slightly above-average weight for age but within normal range. 1, 2
Height Assessment
- The height of 166.3 cm falls at approximately the 50th centile for a 15-year-old girl, representing average height for this age group 1, 3
- This is consistent with longitudinal data showing median height for 18-year-old girls at 167.9 cm, indicating this patient is tracking toward normal adult height 3
- UK WHO growth charts should be used for this age group as they extend through age 20 years, unlike WHO standards which only apply to children under 59 months 4, 1
Weight Assessment
- The weight of 62.9 kg is approximately at the 75th centile for a 15-year-old girl, indicating above-average but still normal weight 1, 2
- This weight is higher than the median weight for 18-year-old girls (58.0 kg), suggesting the patient is in the upper range of normal 3
- The weight centile being higher than the height centile indicates disproportionate weight relative to height, though both remain within normal ranges 1, 2
BMI Calculation and Interpretation
- Calculating BMI: 62.9 kg ÷ (1.663 m)² = 22.7 kg/m², which falls within the normal adult BMI range (18.5-24.9 kg/m²) 1, 5
- For older teenagers (18-19 years), there is strong concordance between pediatric BMI percentile criteria and adult BMI thresholds, making adult BMI classification appropriate for risk stratification 5
- A BMI of 22.7 kg/m² does not indicate overweight or obesity, as the threshold for overweight begins at BMI ≥25 kg/m² in adults or ≥85th percentile in pediatric charts 1, 5
Clinical Monitoring Considerations
- Serial measurements over time provide more valuable information than single measurements for assessing growth trajectory 6
- Parental heights should be considered to account for genetic growth potential 6, 2
- Continue monitoring growth parameters every 6-12 months to ensure maintenance of appropriate growth trajectory 6
- The slight discrepancy between height and weight centiles warrants monitoring but does not require intervention at this time 1, 2