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Can teens accurately report their weight, height, and waist and hip circumferences?
Author(s) -
Siapco Gina Segovia,
Alomairah Saud,
Sabate Joan
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.1060.15
Subject(s) - waist , anthropometry , circumference , body mass index , medicine , waist–hip ratio , demography , obesity , population , mathematics , geometry , environmental health , sociology
Body mass index (BMI) and waist‐to‐hip ratio (W/H) are indices commonly used to assess obesity. The use of self‐reported anthropometric measures is a quick and inexpensive way to compute these indices but may have implications on obesity estimation if invalid. Our aim was to determine if teens can accurately self‐report their weight, height, waist and hip—the anthropometric measures needed to compute BMI and W/H. Teens (n=309; 166 females, 143 males) ages 12–19 years, reported their weight (Wt), height (Ht), waist (WC) and hip (HC) circumferences as part of a web‐based survey. Actual measurements were taken after 2 weeks. Self‐reported and measured values were compared using paired t‐tests, correlations and cross‐classification. Overall and across genders, no significant differences were found between self‐reported and measured Wt (59.3 ± 12.5 vs. 59.4 ± 13.1 kg), Ht (166.1 ± 13.0 vs. 165.1 ± 9.6 cm), BMI (21.6 ± 4.6 vs. 21.7 ± 4.0) and WC (75.2 ± 13.6 vs. 74.1 ± 9.3 cm), but HC was significantly underreported (85.7 ± 12.2 vs. 93.9 ± 9.3 cm, p<0.01). Correlations ranged from weak (HC r=0.42) to strong (Wt r=0.98). Quintile agreement ranged from 72% (HC) to 99% (Wt). Self‐reported weight, height, BMI and waist, except hip circumference, in this teen population are valid estimates of “true” measurements. Consistently low self‐reported hip circumference may indicate that teens have a different perception of the hip location.