Ethnic differences in discrepancies between self-reported and measured weight, height and body mass index

Abstract

We investigated the association between Hindustani-Surinamese (South Asian), African-Surinamese (African) or Dutch (European) ethnicity and discrepancies in self-reported versus measured weight, height and derived body mass index (BMI). Using data from the population-based SUNSET study among 35- to 60-year-old subjects in The Netherlands, we found that discrepancies among Hindustani-Surinamese men, African-Surinamese women and Hindustani-Surinamese women for weight and BMI, but not height were smaller than their Dutch counterparts. Ethnic differences observed imply that self-reported anthropometric measures may be unsuitable for surveillance and for studies that seek to quantify the role of obesity in health outcomes in ethnic groups.