Recall of body weight and body size estimation in women enrolled in the breast cancer detection and demonstration project (BCDDP).
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and pictorial representations of body size in women from young adulthood to late mid-life.


METHODS
Retrospective, descriptive study of BMI and pictorial estimation of body size.


METHODS
5,807 women age 33-77 years enrolled in the National Cancer Institute's and American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Detection and Demonstration Project (BCDDP).


METHODS
Body weight and height were measured in 1973. In 1977, a subset of the cohort recalled their usual height and weight at 10 y intervals starting at age 20. In 1987, subjects reported their usual and current weight and selected one of nine pictorials best representing their body size at ages 15, 25, 40, 50 and +60 y.


RESULTS
For the cohort, and among White women, Pearson correlations between recalled BMI (Kg/M2) and pictorials for each decade ranged from 0.62-0.67 and was 0.80 for current BMI and current pictorial. The range of correlations between pictorials and recalled BMI for other race/ethnic groups were 0.72-0.87 (Black), 0.53-0.75 (Hispanic) and 0.28-0.87 (Asian). Among a subset of women with data on measured BMI, recalled BMI and pictorials at specific ages, the correlation between pictorials and measured BMI was 0.75, compared to the correlation between recalled BMI and measured BMI which was 0.89.


CONCLUSIONS
Correlations are higher between recalled BMI and measured BMI compared to the correlation between pictorials and measured BMI. Therefore, estimates of body size by pictorials alone may not be appropriate for epidemiological investigations. Alternate uses of pictorials may include assessment body weight in low literate populations or in instances where body weight is not or has not been measured.
Muñoz
K A
KA
Applied Research Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-7344, USA.
Ballard-Barbash
R
R
Graubard
B
B
Swanson
C A
CA
Schairer
C
C
Kahle
L L
LL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D044383:Black People; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D044465:White People