CDC growth calculator 2 to 20 years
Calculate CDC chart percentiles for weight-for-age, stature-for-age, BMI-for-age, and optional weight-for-stature from age 2 through 20 years. The calculator reports percentile and z-score for each available measurement.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-28
High BMI needs extended-chart confirmation
What this page calculates
The calculator uses CDC LMS data and the LMS z-score method for age- and sex-specific chart positions. Entering both weight and stature adds BMI-for-age and, when stature is 77 to 121.5 cm, the optional CDC weight-for-stature chart.
- Weight-for-age uses weight in kilograms after unit conversion.
- Stature-for-age uses standing height, not recumbent infant length.
- BMI-for-age is calculated from weight and stature, then classified by pediatric percentile bands.
- Weight-for-stature is available only for shorter children in the CDC optional chart range.
CDC 2 to 20 year workflow
- Confirm age in years plus months and use the same chart source as prior visits.
- Measure standing stature and weight with consistent technique.
- Review BMI category only after checking height and weight values for unit errors.
- Interpret single percentiles with trend direction, puberty timing, symptoms, and family context.
When to use another page
- CDC growth calculator 0 to 36 months for CDC infant chart-specific workflows.
- WHO growth calculator 0 to 24 months for routine infant WHO chart workflows.
- BMI percentile calculator when you want automatic WHO/CDC chart selection by age.
- Height percentile calculator for focused height or stature trend review.
- Weight percentile calculator for focused weight-for-age review.
Related calculators
References
FAQs
Yes. It uses CDC LMS data to calculate weight-for-age, stature-for-age, BMI-for-age, and optional weight-for-stature percentiles for ages 2 to 20 years.
Enter weight for weight-for-age, stature for stature-for-age, or both for BMI-for-age. Weight-for-stature appears when both values are entered and stature is inside the CDC optional chart range.
No. This page uses the CDC 2000 LMS datasets available in the app. When BMI is at or above the 95th percentile, confirm severe-obesity staging with CDC 2022 extended BMI charts, PediTools, or your EHR.
No. Use infant growth tools for children under 2 years unless your local workflow explicitly requires another chart source.
Document age, sex, measurement technique, measured value, percentile, z-score when needed, chart source, BMI category when BMI is calculated, and the trend compared with prior visits.