To get an accurate answer to this question, it's important to talk to a doctor who can assess you individually. Each person's body - especially if you're a growing teen - is different. Your age, your body type, your gender, where you are in your pubertal development, and a number of other factors need to be considered when evaluating your weight.

Weight alone doesn't necessarily tell you if you're overweight. People who weigh the same, for example, can have major differences in body composition (that is, the amounts of muscle, fat, and bone they have). Muscle weighs more than fat, which explains why someone with more muscles may weigh more than someone of the same size who doesn't have as much muscle. And it also helps to explain why some people lose inches when they start working out with weights but notice that the numbers on the scale either go up or stay the same.

Comparing your weight to your height is only one piece of information you can use in determining whether your body is healthy. And striving to be skinny like many actors and models often has less to do with being healthy than it does with feeling pressured to measure up to an unhealthy cultural ideal. Many fashion models, for example, are underweight, starving their bodies of much-needed nutrients to achieve a desired look.

How Does Puberty Affect My Height and Weight?

Have you ever noticed how a friend you haven't seen in a while looks completely different after just a couple of months? Like your friend who was always the smallest guy in class but who came back from summer break looking like he was ready for the NBA!

He's not a freak of nature - in fact, his growth spurt is quite natural. During puberty, your body begins making hormones that spark physical changes, such as muscle growth in guys and weight gain in guys and girls. Once they start, the body changes of puberty will continue for several years. You can expect to grow a total of about 10 inches during puberty before you reach your full adult height.

How Can I Be Sure I'm Not Overweight or Underweight for My Height?

If you're worried that you might be overweight or that you're not growing as fast as you should be, talk to your doctor. He or she will probably measure your height and weight over time and track the measurements on a growth chart to determine whether you're growing normally. Your doctor will also likely use these numbers to calculate your body mass index, or BMI. This measurement estimates how much body fat a person has and helps determine if that person's weight is right for his or her height.

If there's a concern based on your height, weight, or BMI, your doctor may order X-rays of your bones to make sure they're maturing at the proper rate. Your doctor may also ask about your family background to find out if you've inherited traits that might make you taller, shorter, or a late bloomer (someone who develops later than your peers). The doctor can then put all this information together to decide whether you might have a weight or growth problem.

If your doctor determines that it would be healthy for you to lose weight, he or she will probably provide specific dietary and exercise recommendations based on your individual needs. Do not try to lose weight by using dangerous methods such as taking diet pills, making yourself vomit, or starving yourself. All of these things can keep you from getting the nutrients that you need to grow properly. If you try to lose weight in one of these ways, you could actually slow down your growth and sexual development.

Most teens who weigh less than other teens their age are just fine. They may be going through puberty on a different schedule than some of their peers are, and their bodies may be growing and changing at a different rate. They will probably catch up in weight during their later teen years.

Remember, it's not a specific number on the scale that's important. It's having a healthy body - inside and out.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: October 2003
Originally reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD

Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

© ©1995-2004 KidsHealth.