What are the weight and height centiles for a 16-year-old girl with a weight (WT) of 47 kg and a height (HT) of 154.6 cm according to the UK WHO growth charts?

Growth Centile Assessment for 16-Year-Old Girl

Direct Answer

For a 16-year-old girl with weight 47 kg and height 154.6 cm, the weight falls approximately at the 25th-50th centile and height falls approximately at the 50th centile according to UK WHO growth charts, indicating normal proportional growth. 1

Height Assessment

• Height of 154.6 cm places this adolescent at approximately the 50th centile for 16-year-old girls on UK WHO growth charts 1
• The UK WHO growth charts for adolescents aged 2-20 years should be used for this age group, as WHO standards only extend to 59 months 1, 2
• Reference data from the WHO growth standards for school-aged children show that the 50th centile for 15-19 year old females is 153.0 cm, with the range spanning from 139.0 cm (3rd centile) to 167.0 cm (97th centile) 3
• Her height of 154.6 cm falls comfortably within the normal range, positioned just above the median 3

Weight Assessment

• Weight of 47 kg falls between the 25th and 50th centiles for a 16-year-old girl 1, 4
• This weight is appropriate for her height, indicating balanced growth without evidence of underweight or overweight status 5
• Values between the 3rd and 97th centiles are considered normal growth according to standard pediatric guidelines 4

BMI Calculation and Interpretation

• Calculating BMI: 47 kg ÷ (1.546 m)² = 19.7 kg/m², which falls within the normal range for her age 1, 5
• This BMI indicates appropriate weight for height without evidence of underweight or overweight status 5
• The concordance between height and weight centiles (both near 50th centile) suggests proportional, healthy growth 5

Clinical Monitoring Recommendations

• Serial measurements every 6-12 months are more valuable than single measurements for assessing growth velocity and trajectory 1, 4
• Plot measurements on growth charts to visualize the growth pattern over time and ensure maintenance of appropriate growth trajectory 5
• Parental heights should be considered when interpreting growth charts, as genetic target height influences expected growth patterns 4

Key Clinical Considerations

• Both measurements falling above the 3rd centile and below the 97th centile indicate no concerning growth abnormalities 4
• The proportional relationship between height and weight centiles (both clustering around the 50th centile) is reassuring for normal development 5
• No referral for specialized evaluation is indicated, as growth parameters fall well within normal ranges 4