Comparison of Bias Resulting from Two Methods of Self-Reporting Height and Weight: A Validation Study

Details

• Personal Author:
  Chapel D ; Jenkins P ; Krupa N ; Scribani M ; Shelton J ; Wyckoff L
• Description:
  Objectives: To contrast the validity of two modes of self-reported height and weight data. Design Subjects' self-reported height and weight by mailed survey without expectation of subsequent measurement. Subjects were later offered a physical exam, where they self-reported their height and weight again, just prior to measurement. Regression equations to predict actual from self-reported body mass index (BMI) were fitted for both sets of self-reported values. Residual analyses assessed bias resulting from application of each regression equation to the alternative mode of self-report. Analyses were stratified by gender. Setting: Upstate New York. Participants: Subjects (n=260) with survey, pre-exam and measured BMI. Main outcome measures Prevalence of obesity based on two modes of self-report and also measured values. Bias resulting from misapplication of correction equations. Results: Accurate prediction of measured BMI was possible for both self-report modes for men (R2=0.89 survey, 0.85 pre-exam) and women (R2=0.92 survey, 0.97 pre-exam). Underreporting of BMI was greater for survey than pre-exam but only significantly so in women. Obesity prevalence was significantly underestimated by 10.9% (p<0.001) and 14.9% (p<0.001) for men and 5.4% (p=0.007) and 11.2% (p<0.001) for women, for pre-exam and survey, respectively. Residual analyses showed that significant bias results when a regression model derived from one mode of self-report is used to correct BMI values estimated from the alternative mode. Conclusions: Both modes significantly underestimated obesity prevalence. Underestimation of actual BMI is greater for survey than pre-exam self-report for both genders, indicating that equations adjusting for self-report bias must be matched to the self-report mode. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Body Height Occupational Health Safety Sex Characteristics
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Research Methods BMI Body Mass Index Clinical Tests Epidemiology Gender Factors Height Factors Obesity Psychological Responses Public Health Weight Measurement

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• ISSN:
  2054-2704
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 2
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-7
• Volume:
  5
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20053053
• Citation:
  JRSM Open 2014 Jun; 5(6):1-7
• Contact Point Address:
  Melissa Scribani, Bassett Healthcare Network Research Institute, One Atwell Road, Cooperstown, NY 13326, USA
• Email:
  melissa.scribani@bassett.org
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2014
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown, New York
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20010930
• Source Full Name:
  JRSM Open
• End Date:
  20270831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:87897b155bdc27dfadc1b323c35611213b8372be542ee86d274ab3ad7910ecfddf1fccba9b36c86130f259a8611722a7f77bde47cd65c14ac1eb22d64247a272
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/215903/cdc_215903_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 289.73 KB ]