Self-Reported vs. Measured Height, Weight, and BMI in Young Adults

Melissa D. Olfert, Makenzie L. Barr, Camille M. Charlier, Oluremi A. Famodu, Wenjun Zhou, Anne E. Mathews, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner and Sarah E. Colby
Additional contact information
Melissa D. Olfert: Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, Department of Animal & Nutritional Sciences, Agricultural Science Building, G025, West Virginia University, 333 Evansdale Dr., Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Makenzie L. Barr: Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, Department of Animal & Nutritional Sciences, Agricultural Science Building, G025, West Virginia University, 333 Evansdale Dr., Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Camille M. Charlier: Clinical & Translational Science, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Oluremi A. Famodu: Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, Department of Animal & Nutritional Sciences, Agricultural Science Building, G025, West Virginia University, 333 Evansdale Dr., Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Wenjun Zhou: Business Analytics and Statistics, University of Tennessee, 916 Volunteer Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37996-0532, USA
Anne E. Mathews: Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, P.O. Box 110370, 359 FSHN Bldg., 572 Newell Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611-0370, USA
Carol Byrd-Bredbenner: Nutritional Sciences Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
Sarah E. Colby: Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, 1215 W Cumberland Ave, 229 Jesse Harris Building, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-9

Abstract: Self-reported height and weight, if accurate, provide a simple and economical method to track changes in body weight over time. Literature suggests adults tend to under-report their own weight and that the gap between self-reported weight and actual weight increases with obesity. This study investigates the extent of discrepancy in self-reported height, weight, and subsequent Body Mass Index (BMI) versus actual measurements in young adults. Physically measured and self-reported height and weight were taken from 1562 students. Male students marginally overestimated height, while females were closer to target. Males, on average, closely self-reported weight. Self-reported anthropometrics remained statistically correlated to actual measures in both sexes. Categorical variables of calculated BMI from both self-reported and actual height and weight resulted in significant agreement for both sexes. Researcher measured BMI (via anthropometric height and weight) and sex were both found to have association with self-reported weight while only sex was related to height difference. Regression examining weight difference and BMI was significant, specifically with a negative slope indicating increased BMI led to increased underestimation of weight in both sexes. This study suggests self-reported anthropometric measurements in young adults can be used to calculate BMI for weight classification purposes. Further investigation is needed to better assess self-reported vs measured height and weight discrepancies across populations.

Keywords: self-report; anthropometrics; height; weight; young adults; BMI (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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