Short answer
There is no single "correct" weight figure for a child. A child's weight is always assessed against height, sex and age, and Swedish paediatric care uses iso-BMI — an age-adjusted BMI measure — alongside the growth chart over time. An individual number tells us less than how the curve develops.
Why does a single weight figure tell us so little?
Children grow at different rates, and two children of the same age can have completely different heights and body builds and both be healthy. This is why Swedish paediatric care never assesses a child's weight in isolation — weight is always compared against height, age, sex and previous measurements.
For adults, BMI is used with fixed cut-offs (25 for overweight, 30 for obesity). For children, iso-BMI is calculated instead, which translates the child's BMI into the corresponding adult value taking age and sex into account (Cole 2000). In this way, the same cut-offs — 25 and 30 — apply regardless of the child's age.
How BVC and the school health service assess weight
Height and weight are measured routinely:
- BVC (child health centres) follow children from 0 to 6 years at recurring appointments.
- Elevhälsan (school health services) measure in preschool class (age 6), year 4, years 7–8 and in upper secondary school.
The values are plotted on a growth chart. What healthcare professionals react to is when the curve breaks its trend — when the child's BMI suddenly begins to rise more steeply than before — even if the value still falls within the normal range. The isolated number is less important than the trajectory.
You can obtain an initial estimate yourself using our iso-BMI calculator for children or BMI calculator for children. The result does not replace a clinical assessment.
Approximate weight and height ranges by age
For general orientation — not as targets — healthy Swedish children weigh and measure approximately:
| Age | Height (cm) | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 92–102 | 13–17 |
| 5 years | 105–117 | 16–22 |
| 7 years | 117–131 | 21–29 |
| 10 years | 130–150 | 28–45 |
| 12 years | 140–162 | 35–55 |
| 15 years | 155–180 | 45–75 |
The variation is wide — and normal. Two children of the same age can be far apart and both be healthy. See our more detailed weight and height table for children.
When should you seek help?
Contact BVC, the school health service or your primary care centre (vårdcentral) if:
- The BMI curve is rising more steeply than before.
- Iso-BMI is 25 or higher (overweight or obesity).
- You notice concerning changes in eating, sleep or physical activity habits.
Do not weigh at home on your own
Weighing a child at home on your own can create an unhealthy focus on numbers — for both the child and the parent — and rarely leads to good decisions. Rely on the regular check-ups within BVC and the school health service. If home weighing is part of a clinical treatment programme, it is carried out in consultation with healthcare providers; within Evira, the child is weighed at home without the child seeing the number, and the measurements complement visits to the clinic.
Related questions
- What is a normal weight for a 10-year-old child?There is no single 'normal' weight figure — here is how iso-BMI works for a 10-year-old.
- What is a normal weight for a 12-year-old?Puberty, height and sex all play a part — this is how a 12-year-old's weight is assessed.
- How much should an 11-year-old weigh?There is no single correct weight for an 11-year-old — how iso-BMI works at 11 years of age.
- BVC says my child's weight chart is deviating — what does that mean?What BVC means by a "deviating weight chart" — and when it is actually time to act.
Sources
- Folkhälsomyndigheten (Public Health Agency of Sweden) — Measuring overweight and obesity among children
- 1177 Vårdguiden — Obesity and overweight in children
- Rikshandboken i barnhälsovård (The Swedish Child Health Services Handbook) — Increasing BMI, overweight and obesity
Last updated: June 2026