Final answer:
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a biometric measurement used to estimate body fat based on a person's weight and height. BMI categorizes individuals as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese, but it is adjusted for children to factor in growth and age. While helpful in indicating potential health risks, BMI should not be the sole measure due to its limitations, such as not differentiating between muscle and fat.
Step-by-step explanation
The student's question revolves around the Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a biometric measurement that estimates the relative amount of body weight compared to overall height. BMI is commonly used to categorize individuals into weight categories, such as underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese. It is important to note that in children and adolescents, BMI is adjusted to account for age and growth. Obesity in children is diagnosed when their BMI is greater than the 95th percentile for children of the same age. This reflects that the child's BMI is higher than that of 95 percent of their peers. BMI can be a predictor of potential health risks related to body fatness. However, it is not without limitations and should be considered alongside other factors like fitness level, since it does not differentiate between muscle and fat.
BMI Categories
- Underweight: BMI less than 18
- Normal weight: BMI ranging from 18 to 24.9
- Overweight: BMI between 25 and 29.9
- Obese: BMI of 30 or higher
- Morbidly obese: BMI over 40
For the population mean BMI of 24.5 with a standard deviation of 6.2, these categories can help determine the weight status of a child within that population. However, it's crucial to compare the BMI to reference values that are appropriate for children's age and growth patterns.