title: Comparison of measured and self-reported weight and height in a cross-sectional sample of young adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship between self-reported weight and height to actual weight and height in a cross-sectional nationally representative sample of young adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Weights and heights were obtained on 1932 adolescents aged 12-16 y enrolled in the NHANES III study. Self-reported weights and heights were available on 1657 of the adolescents (86%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlation between self-reported weight and actual weight ranged between 0.87 and 0.94, depending on gender or race. However, self-reported weights were significantly lower than measured weights among girls, compared to boys (P < 0.001). Correlation between self-reported height and actual height ranged from 0.82-0.91. There were no differences in the accuracy of self-reported heights among boys and girls or racial groups. Differences between actual weight and self-reported weight were significantly greater for obese children compared with non-obese children (P < 0.001). Nevertheless, the use of self-reported weight and height resulted in the correct classification of weight status in 94% of children. As a result, small differences in self-reported weights and heights had no impact in assessing obesity related morbidities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Influences of gender and racial biases in reporting of weight and height were relatively small. Self-reported heights and weights were extremely reliable for the predicting obesity related morbidities and behaviours.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick 08903, USA. strausrs@rwja.umdnj.edu
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Strauss
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015982:Bias; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology