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Weight-for-length compares a child's weight with other children of the same length, whatever their age. It's the best way to see whether a baby is thin or heavy for their size, and it's how WHO and India's health programmes screen for wasting (acute malnutrition) under 5.
Measure lying down under 2 years and standing from 2 to 5 years. Below −2 SD is wasting, above +2 SD overweight and above +3 SD obesity.
| Sex | Boy |
| Weight | 8 |
| Weight Unit | kg |
| Length / Height | 70 |
| Length Unit | cm |
| Measured | Lying down (length) — under 2 years |
| Weight-for-length percentile | 26th percentile |
| Classification (WHO) | Normal |
| Z-score | -0.63 |
| Median weight for this length | 8.42 kg |
| Normal range (−2 to +2 SD) | 7.18 – 9.98 kg |
| Measured | 8 kg at 70 cm (lying length) |
26th percentile — Normal.
Try this example →| Sex | Girl |
| Weight | 13 |
| Weight Unit | kg |
| Length / Height | 95 |
| Length Unit | cm |
| Measured | Standing (height) — 2 to 5 years |
| Weight-for-height percentile | 23rd percentile |
| Classification (WHO) | Normal |
| Z-score | -0.75 |
| Median weight for this height | 13.89 kg |
| Normal range (−2 to +2 SD) | 11.68 – 16.73 kg |
| Measured | 13 kg at 95 cm (standing height) |
23rd percentile.
Try this example →For a boy about 8.4 kg on average (7.2–10.0 kg normal range); for a girl about 8.2 kg.
Weight-for-age mixes up height and weight; weight-for-length shows thinness or fatness for the child's size.
A weight-for-length below −2 SD — a sign of recent weight loss or poor feeding that needs a doctor's review.