Which percentile range defines overweight in adolescents?

• A. 85th to 94th percentile
• B. 95th to 99th percentile
• C. 75th to 84th percentile
• D. >99th percentile

Answer: (C)

Understanding how BMI is interpreted in adolescence hinges on comparing a child's BMI to peers of the same age and sex. Overweight is defined as a BMI at or above the 85th percentile but below the 95th percentile. This means the adolescent’s BMI is higher than about 85% of peers, but not high enough to be classified as obesity. The range 75th to 84th percentile is still within the normal-to-above-average area and does not meet the overweight threshold. Obesity starts at the 95th percentile and goes upward, with higher values indicating greater degrees of excess weight. This percentile-based system helps account for normal growth and development differences across ages and sexes.