title: Estimation bias: body mass and body height in endurance athletes.
abstract: Body Mass Index is associated with endurance performance in athletes. Reported and measured values of body mass and body height in 1,618 endurance athletes (1,358 men, 260 women) showed that men and women both underestimated their body mass and overestimated their body height, leading to an underestimation of Body Mass Index. There were age and sex differences in estimates of height and weight; for both women and men, underestimation of Body Mass Index amounted to 0.4 kg/m2. Master athletes tended to underestimate their body mass and overestimate their body height thus leading to significant differences between estimated and measured Body Mass Index. However, the magnitude of underestimation of BMI probably has a negligible influence on performance predictions. The differences between measured and estimated body mass, height, and BMI were within the range of normal daily variation, and for body height even within the precision of the measurement (0.5 cm).
authors: Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. beat.knechtle@hispeed.ch
authors: Beat
authors: B
authors: Knechtle
authors: Christoph Alexander
authors: CA
authors: Rüst
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Rosemann
authors: Patrizia
authors: P
authors: Knechtle
authors: Raul
authors: R
authors: Bescos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D056352:Athletes; D001823:Body Composition; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors