title: Racial/ethnic differences in accuracy of body mass index reporting in a diverse cohort of young adults.
abstract: Surveillance data describing the weight status of the U.S. population often rely on self-reported height and weight, despite likely differences in reporting accuracy by demographics. Our objective was to determine if there were racial/ethnic differences in accuracy of self-reported body mass index (BMI) in a diverse nationally representative sample of young people. Using data from Wave III (data collected in 2001-2002) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health when respondents were aged 18-26, we used gender-stratified multivariable linear regression models to examine the association of race/ethnicity and self-reported BMI controlling for measured BMI while also adjusting for factors known to be associated with weight self-perception. Black males and females (b(Female)=0.45, confidence interval (CI): 0.19, 0.71; b(Male)=0.34, CI: 0.17, 0.51) and Hispanic females (b(Female)=0.30, CI: 0.08, 0.52) and Native American males (b(Native) American=0.87, CI: 0.15, 1.58) reported higher BMIs than their similarly weighted White peers, leading to more accurate BMI reporting in these groups at higher BMIs. Caution should be taken in interpreting results from studies relying on self-reported BMI, as they may exaggerate racial/ethnic differences in weight status.
authors: Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: T K
authors: TK
authors: Richmond
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Thurston
authors: Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Sonneville
authors: Clinical Research Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: C E
authors: CE
authors: Milliren
authors: Decision Resources, Burlington, MA, USA.
authors: C E
authors: CE
authors: Walls
authors: 1] Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA [2] Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: S B
authors: SB
authors: Austin
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D012928:Social Desirability; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult