What Is The Average Weight For 14 Year Olds?

Average Weight | Ideal weight chart | BMI vs average weight | Eating Habits | Weight Management Tips

At 14 years of age, most teenagers are still experiencing the effects and aftereffects of the onset of puberty. The most common bodily changes that mark this age are the rapid growth in weight and height of a teenager.

Body weight increases at this age due to factors like growth spurts, the development of muscles, and an overall increase in body mass.

Maintaining a healthy weight becomes a concept that takes on a new meaning when dealing with your 14-year-old teenagers.

Read on for a detailed analysis of the average weight for 14 year olds.

What is the average weight for a 14 year old?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ^[1]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Clinical Growth Charts, the average weight for 14-year-olds is around 108 pounds for girls and around 113 pounds for boys. This is based on the percentile charts of the CDC.

The average weight mentioned here is the median weight range found in the 50th percentile of the CDC weight charts.

Ideal weight chart by age/gender

Figuring out the ideal weight range for your 14-year-old can be a challenging task. After all, puberty and its consequent bodily changes hit every teenager differently.

In the sections below, we have tried to give you data that can help you gain some perspective on how much your 14-year-old should weigh.

Average weight for a 14 year old boy

Below is a table listing the average weight ranges for 14-year-old boys. The data in the table will give you a rough idea of whether your 14-year-old boy is overweight, underweight, or within a healthy weight range.

Range	Weight
Healthy	113 lbs
Underweight	85 lbs
Overweight	147 lbs

Average weight for a 14 year old girl

The table below lists the average weight ranges for 14-year-old girls. Take a look at the table below to see if your daughter is overweight, underweight, or has a healthy weight.

Range	Weight
Healthy	109 lbs
Underweight	83 lbs
Overweight	144 lbs

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BMI vs average weight for 14 year olds

Body mass index (BMI) ^[2]National Health Service: What is the body mass index (BMI)? is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. For instance, the median range, or the average BMI for a 14-year-old boy whose height and weight are both in the 50th percentile, would be around 19.

By incorporating height into the equation, BMI provides a more accurate way of determining whether your teenager has a healthy weight.

You can use a good BMI calculator ^[3]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: BMI Percentile Calculator for Child and Teen and enter your 14-year-old’s height and weight to get their BMI.

The following image of the BMI percentile charts by the CDC can help you understand what a healthy weight range is for your teenager.

Source: CDC ^[4]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 2 to 20 years: Girls Body mass index-for-age percentiles

Source: CDC ^[5]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 2 to 20 years: Boys Body mass index-for-age percentiles

It is essential to remember that the height and weight of a growing teen might not fall into the median percentile range.

Therefore, their average BMI might not always give an accurate picture of whether they are overweight or underweight. It is merely a measure of the average amount of body fat for someone of a particular age and gender.

Understanding BMI percentiles

The WHO ^[6]World Health Organization: BMI-for-age (5-19 years) growth standards are used to compare the BMI of children and adolescents all over the world.

The image provided above is of the CDC’s BMI-for-age percentile charts (derived from the same WHO data).

The percentile range tells you what percentage of children of the same age and gender have a lower or higher BMI.

If your child’s BMI falls in the 50th percentile, it means that 50 percent of the 14-year-olds around the world weigh more than your child, and the other 50 percent weigh less.

A percentile of 85 means that your 14-year-old’s BMI is higher than 85 percent of the 14-year-olds around the world.

Do BMI percentiles signify health?

BMI calculations are not a fool-proof measure of either the health of a 14-year-old or the ideal rate of physical development at the age of 14. 

BMI has been criticized for frequently misclassifying metabolic health ^[7]Harvard Health Publishing: How useful is the body mass index (BMI)? and for failing to understand body fat distribution. It does not take into account the differences in body composition across demographic groups either.

For instance, a 14-year-old boy who is 5’5” and weighs 140 pounds would have a BMI of 23.3. According to the BMI percentile charts, this would put him in the 88th percentile for his age and gender.

However, if this boy is a competitive swimmer, his weight would mostly comprise muscle mass and not body fat. In such a case, his BMI would be a false indicator of his health.

Should a 14-year-old go on a diet?

A holistic approach to physical fitness is needed when considering the average weight of a 14-year-old. BMI is just one tool in the box, and it should not be used as the sole determinant of whether your teenager needs to go on a diet.

There are other important indicators of health that must be considered before putting your teenager on a diet. These include:

1. Muscle mass
2. Bone structure
3. Body fat distribution
4. Waist circumference
5. Cholesterol levels
6. Blood sugar levels

At 14, your child’s body is still changing and developing. Do not reduce your 14-year-old’s food intake below the recommended level of daily calorie intake ^[8]U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines unless their weight is seriously off the charts.

A better alternative to putting a 14-year-old on a diet (which might prove counterproductive) is to introduce them to a healthy diet. 

For instance, a diet rich in protein will ensure better muscle growth. This way, their weight will be constituted by healthy muscle mass and not merely fat cells. Plus, muscle growth will fire up the metabolic rate, thereby promoting better weight management in the long term.

Tips to maintain a healthy weight for 14 year olds

Here are a few tips that will go a long way in ensuring that your 14-year-old maintains a healthy weight and lifestyle:

1. Encourage your teenager to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity ^[9]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How much physical activity do children need?  every day.
2. Start by making small changes to the diet of your child. Replace processed foods and fast food with healthier alternatives.
3. Find a healthy balance when it comes to food. Deprivation will not help here. Give them ample tasty and healthy food options.
4. Create a meal plan for the week with the help of your teenager. This will ensure that they take a healthy interest in their own diet.
5. Make sure that they stay hydrated, but not with sugary or caffeinated drinks.
6. Teenage is a time when the body’s sleep rhythms are naturally a little disrupted. Help your 14-year-old by setting up an environment conducive to healthy sleep and ample rest.
7. Watch out for signs of stress, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other symptoms of mental health issues. The massive hormonal changes at this time put every teen at risk of such health problems.

Conclusion

The average weight of every 14 year old boy or girl can vary significantly from one teenager to the other. Looking at the BMI percentile charts is one of the many ways to get an idea about whether or not your child’s weight is healthy.

If you are concerned about your teenager’s weight, consult a doctor or dietitian before making any major weight management decisions.