Kids and Body Fat

Now, with the WiThings scale, I can actually see the body fat of my kids, rather than rely on the supposed BMI, which we all know is fraught with issues.  Since the BMI is purely a state of height and weight, it does not take into account the build of kids.

I must admit that I watch my daughter's weight closely (not the scale, as I would never encourage her to step onto a scale, but visually).  She is very strong and has a lot of muscle.  She is not overweight in the slightest, but I obviously carry my insecurities with me when I look at her form.  I know its wrong, and I know I will never ever talk to her about her weight, but after so many years of conditioning within my own head, I know its something that I cannot help but watch.  I think she has my general build, which makes me worry that she will fall into my steps...she has also gained 10 pounds in the last year!  So, we keep her active.  She is involved in all types of sports.  That being said, she is a natural athlete (here she follows in her dad's footsteps) and she is very capable of any physical test thrown at her.

My son, on the other hand, is lanky and lean.  I worry that he isn't strong enough. We've been through quite a lot with him in this last year, and a ton of strengthening to minimize visits to a PT. His stamina has increased significantly.  His core strength has also improved.  With ice skating every week, this has been a savior in asuaging my fears.

So, it was interesting coming across this Body Fat Chart for children.  I see that my daughter is right smack dab in the middle for her age (she is 66 pounds with 13 pounds of fat).  I also see my son on the high end of "healthy" which actually surprises me (he is 55 pounds with 10 pounds of fat). 

So, I can actually follow this over time, without them even being aware of it.  So, whenever they step on that scale, I see it online.  This is a nice little side benefit to the WiThings...knowledge without creating any feelings on their side of watchfulness of weight. 

Now, if the BMI for children interests you, you can check it out here.  I checked it out as well, and their BMIs lined up almost identically and well within the "healthy" range.