title: Measuring the accuracy of self-reported height and weight in a community-based sample of young people.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self-reported anthropometric data are commonly used to estimate prevalence of obesity in population and community-based studies. We aim to: 1) Determine whether survey participants are able and willing to self-report height and weight; 2) Assess the accuracy of self-reported compared to measured anthropometric data in a community-based sample of young people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (16-29 years) of a behaviour survey, recruited at a Melbourne music festival (January 2011), were asked to self-report height and weight; researchers independently weighed and measured a sub-sample. Body Mass Index was calculated and overweight/obesity classified as ≥25 kg/m². Differences between measured and self-reported values were assessed using paired t-test/Wilcoxon signed ranks test. Accurate report of height and weight were defined as <2 cm and <2 kg difference between self-report and measured values, respectively. Agreement between classification of overweight/obesity by self-report and measured values was assessed using McNemar's test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1405 survey participants, 82% of males and 72% of females self-reported their height and weight. Among 67 participants who were also independently measured, self-reported height and weight were significantly less than measured height (p=0.01) and weight (p<0.01) among females, but no differences were detected among males. Overall, 52% accurately self-reported height, 30% under-reported, and 18% over-reported; 34% accurately self-reported weight, 52% under-reported and 13% over-reported. More females (70%) than males (35%) under-reported weight (p=0.01). Prevalence of overweight/obesity was 33% based on self-report data and 39% based on measured data (p=0.16).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-reported measurements may underestimate weight but accurately identified overweight/obesity in the majority of this sample of young people.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia. annab@burnet.edu.au
authors.forename: Anna L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bowring
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: Rosanne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Freak-Poli
authors.forename: Megan Sc
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Maelenn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gouillou
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hellard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D057566:Self Report / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult