Validity of Self-Reported Weight and Height of Adolescents, Its Impact on Classification into BMI-Categories and the Association with Weighing Behaviour

Tineke De Vriendt,Charlene Ottevaere,Inge Huybrechts,Inge Van Trimpont,Stefaan De Henauw

doi:10.3390/ijerph6102696

Abstract

This paper investigated the validity of self-reported height and weight of adolescents for the diagnosis of underweight, overweight and obesity and the influence of weighing behaviour on the accuracy. A total of 982 adolescents reported their height, weight, weighing behaviour and eating patterns in a questionnaire. Afterwards, their height and weight were measured and their Body Mass Index (BMI)-categories were determined using age- and gender-specific BMI cut-off points. Both girls and boys underreported their weight, whilst height was overestimated by girls and underestimated by boys. Cohen’s d indicated that these misreportings were in fact trivial. The prevalence of underweight was overestimated when using the self-reported BMI for classification, whilst the prevalence of overweight and obesity was underestimated. Gender and educational level influenced the accuracy of the adolescents’ self-reported BMI. Weighing behaviour only positively influenced the accuracy of the self-reported weight and not height or BMI. In summary, adolescents’ self-reported weight and height cannot replace measured values to determine their BMI-category, and thus the latter are highly recommended when investigating underweight, overweight and obesity in adolescents.

Highlights

The aetiology of overweight and obesity has its origins in childhood and adolescence and it has become an increasingly epidemic problem in young children and adolescents worldwide [1]
The sampling procedure yielded a sample of 1,014 adolescents, who were officially registered in the 70 sampled classes
This study showed that the self-reported height and weight of adolescents cannot replace the measured values for determining their Body Mass Index (BMI)-category and measured weight and weight are highly recommended for the diagnosis of underweight, overweight and obesity

Summary

Introduction

The aetiology of overweight and obesity has its origins in childhood and adolescence and it has become an increasingly epidemic problem in young children and adolescents worldwide [1]. A close monitoring of height and weight in children and adolescents is necessary to detect any tendencies in the prevalence of overweight and obesity In this context, valid weight and height data are critical, but measuring these anthropometrics is not always feasible due to logistic or budgetary limitations. Valid weight and height data are critical, but measuring these anthropometrics is not always feasible due to logistic or budgetary limitations These data are in practice often self- or proxy-reported (by parents). Adolescence is a very important period in life, characterized by physical and psychological evolutions [5] Due to these large and rapid physical changes, self-reporting height and weight is less evident for adolescents compared to adults. Overall trends suggested systematic overestimation of height and underestimation of weight and BMI [7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion