At the age of 16, teens might still experience variations in their bodies, especially in weight. Here you will know what the average weight for 16 year olds is.
When your kids are 16 years old, she or he is still in a period of growth and development. Some of them are even just starting their puberty. In fact, this time is widely known as a “puzzling period” as your kids have to modify the changes that their body is enduring. What’s more, you will notice significant variations in their appearance, height, and weight.
For 16-year-old teen boys, the average weight (based on the 50th percentile) is often 134 lbs (approx. 61.1 kg). Girls, on the flip side, typically have a smaller weight of 119 lbs (approx. 53.9 kg) when compared to boys of this age.
This average weight, according to the Center for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC), is generally taken into account healthy for kids of that age. Even so, it doesn’t mean that your child needs to be within this weight range to be healthy. There are a lot more subjective as well as objective factors for this. So, keep reading to find it out.
Key Takeaways
- So, if your teens are in their 16 years old, it is strongly suggested to get the average weight of 53.9 kg (approx. 119 lbs) if they are girls and 61.1 kg (approx. 134 lbs) if they are boys.
- Children at the age of 16 years old might want to lose weight if they feel that they are a little bit more “overweight” than their peers. But this is not necessary and even not good for their health if done wrongly.
- As such, ensure that you teach your adolescents to understand and take good care of their body. It is also needed to consult a nutritionist to make sure your children get all of their nutritional necessities.
What Weight Should a 16-Year-Old Teenager Have?
Generally speaking, the reasonable weight for teenagers at the age of 16 years old is around 119 lbs for girls and 134 lbs for boys. Nonetheless, it is not recommended that teens of 16 years old should seek any certain weight because their body mass is often affected by a wide variety of elements.
It is also crucial to understand that one’s health, typically teens’ health, is not influenced solely by weight. In other words, this weight can be healthy for your kids but not for other kids.
As such, it is vital for you to note that even when your child’s BMI result denotes that they are within the healthy size spectrum, then their level of exercise and eating habits are still among the two most critical things determining their health.
At the end of the day, keep in mind that your children should understand that their body mass and shape are not always the decisive factors of their health.
In addition, this underlines what it means to embrace and appreciate the human body’s singularity. As such, you should ensure that your child knows that they should not compare their bodies with their peers. Alternatively, it is strongly suggested to rethink their access to health.
Now, let’s have a look at the body weight percentile charts for 16-year-old teens:
Body weight percentile chart for 16 year-old-teen boys
| Percentile | Weight (kg) | Weight (lbs) |
| 3rd | 45.8 kg | 20.7 lbs |
| 5th | 47.3 kg | 21.4 lbs |
| 10th | 49.8 kg | 22.6 lbs |
| 25th | 54.7 kg | 24.8 lbs |
| 50th | 61.1 kg | 27.7 lbs |
| 75th | 69 kg | 31.3 lbs |
| 90th | 77.9 kg | 35.3 lbs |
| 95th | 84.3 kg | 38.2 lbs |
| 97th | 89 kg | 40.4 lbs |
Body weight percentile chart for 16 year-old-teen girls
| Percentile | Weight (kg) | Weight (lbs) |
| 3rd | 41.8 kg | 18.9 lbs |
| 5th | 43 kg | 19.5 lbs |
| 10th | 44.9 kg | 20.4 lbs |
| 25th | 48.6 kg | 22 lbs |
| 50th | 53.9 kg | 24.4 lbs |
| 75th | 61.2 kg | 27.7 lbs |
| 90th | 70.4 kg | 31.9 lbs |
| 95th | 78.1 kg | 35.4 lbs |
| 97th | 84.4 kg | 38.3 lbs |
What Are the Factors Influencing Weight of a 16-Year-Old Teenager?
Generally speaking, having moderate eating and regular exercise habits is widely believed to be the best way to maintain a healthy weight for 16-year-old teens.
Yes, it is true in most cases, but not enough. In fact, there are still several more elements to bear in mind, such as genetics, sleep status, depression and anxiety, medication, medical issues, etc.
As some of you as parents might all know, mental health is among the most crucial factors impacting the weight of 16-year-old teenagers. Pressure and stress can not only change their hunger and cause an overeating feeling. But in fact, they can even affect the way fat is stored in teenagers’ bodies.
Besides, it is believed that sleep quality might play an important role in the overall weight of teenagers at the age of 16. As some of you might know, sleep is considered an important hormone-balancing mechanism and is the source of the body’s daily energy needs.
Most adolescents need from 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. So, it is really important to build a routine that your child can follow and learn how much sleep their body needs are good things you can do for them.
In addition, genetics might also matter when it comes to the healthy or average weight of 16-year-old teenagers. For instance, if your children are suffering from any medical problems, chronic illness, or using medicines, their weight can also be impacted.
Should a 16-Year-Old Teenager Go on a Diet?
It is recommended not to force your teens to refuse specific foods or follow a strict diet. Basically, the possible explanation for this is that they are in a period of tremendous growth and maturity.
So, removing foods and decreasing the amount of calorie intake can lead to the lack of key nutrients required during this growth phase.
In our society, dieting is something that is closely related to being healthy. Having said that, it can cause some serious problems for teens’ health if they are done in the wrong way.
For instance, if you restrict specific food groups or foods in your child’s eating plan, he or she, just like adults, is more likely to overeat on them later on. What’s more, restrictive regulations of the eating plan might even lead to several eating issues.
If you notice that your child’s weight is abnormal, it is best to make an appointment with their doctor for reasons and cures. Ultimately, being overweight is not always a sign of harming one’s health.
So, When Should a 16-Year Old Teen Lose Weight?
It is better to slow down the weight gain speed rather than lose weight. Of course, there are always several certain exceptions. Having said that, it is recommended that any type of weight loss, especially for 16-year-old teenagers, should always be practiced under a dietitian’s or doctor’s guidance.
The teen years, like many parents may all know, might also be a stressful time. In particular, their bodies are always altering, and their weight can change too. You might notice that your teen may want to go on a diet to drop some weight in the expectation of feeling and looking better.
So, it is more important for them to concentrate on eating healthy food and building an exercise regimen instead of trying to change their body. This way, their body mass will be stabilized in the healthy range.
At the end of the day, the dramatic improvements in health come from a good attitude and care for the body, not from hating it.
