The average weight of a 2-year-old female is 26.5 lbs. while the average weight of a 20year-old male is 27.5 lbs., according to information and data that has been collected by the World Health Organization, the Gerontology Research Center and United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The average weight is typically used in conjunction with the Body Mass Index, or BMI, to determine whether a child is developing in a healthy manner. BMI is a mathematical way to measure one's body fat percentage based on one's height and weight.
Monitoring the baby's weight at this time is crucial to determine whether there are any developmental problems present. A failure to gain weight can be an indication of a serious underlying health problem. Most physicians will deem failure to gain weight if the baby:
- weighs 20 percent less than his or her ideal weight
- exhibits a decrease of two or more major percentile lines on the growth chart from previous checkups
- fall below the third percentile for weight on the growth chart
The average height of a 2-year-old female is roughly 33.5 inches while the average height of a 2-year-old male is roughly 34.2 inches.
At this point in time, pediatricians are most concerned with whether the child's weight falls below the fifth percentile line. Children who fall in this category will normally have a shorter height due to either one of the following growth patterns:
- Familial short stature. The height and weight difference in these children can normally be attributed to inherited genetics. Although shorter and lighter than average, these children are considered to be healthy and will proceed through all phases of development like a healthy child.
- Constitutional growth delay. These children normally met the average weight in the beginning of their infancy, but have experienced a period of slower-than-normal growth. These children are also considered to be healthy.
