Clinical Guidelines for Weight Management in New Zealand Children and Young People

This publication provides updated clinical guidance for primary health care practitioners and others who provide advice on weight management for New Zealand children and young people aged 2 to 18 years.

The Guidelines follow a four-stage process: monitor, assess, manage, and maintain. The key components of management are FAB: Food and drink, Activity (including reducing sedentary time, and supporting sufficient sleep), and Behavioural strategies.

There are three new additions or changes:

1. Regular monitoring of height, weight and BMI is recommended for all children and young people to enable early identification and advice for those who are trending towards obesity.
2. To align with the New Zealand-World Health Organization (NZ-WHO) growth chart for two to five year olds, the Guidelines include the recommendation to use a new NZ-WHO growth chart for 5–18 year olds (currently being developed). Both charts define overweight as over the 91st centile, and obesity as over the 98th centile.
3. Recognition of the role that sufficient sleep plays in weight management for children and young people, along with recommended hours of sleep by age.