title: High degree of BMI misclassification of malnutrition among Swedish elderly population: Age-adjusted height estimation using knee height and demispan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The degree of misclassification of obesity and undernutrition among elders owing to inaccurate height measurements is investigated using height predicted by knee height (KH) and demispan equations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional investigation was done among a random heterogeneous sample from five municipalities in Southern Sweden from a general population study 'Good Aging in Skåne' (GÅS). The sample comprised two groups: group 1 (KH) including 2839 GÅS baseline participants aged 60-93 years with a valid KH measurement and group 2 (demispan) including 2871 GÅS follow-up examination participants (1573 baseline; 1298 new), aged 60-99 years, with a valid demispan measurement. Participation rate was 80%. Height, weight, KH and demispan were measured. KH and demispan equations were formulated using linear regression analysis among participants aged 60-64 years as reference. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated in kg/m(2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Undernutrition prevalences in men and women were 3.9 and 8.6% by KH, compared with 2.4 and 5.4% by standard BMI, and more pronounced for all women aged 85+ years (21% vs 11.3%). The corresponding value in women aged 85+ years by demispan was 16.5% vs 10% by standard BMI. Obesity prevalences in men and women were 17.5 and 14.6% by KH, compared with 19.0 and 20.03% by standard BMI. Values among women aged 85+ years were 3.7% vs 10.4% by KH and 6.5% vs 12.7% by demispan compared with the standard.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an age-related misclassification of undernutrition and obesity attributed to inaccurate height estimation among the elderly. This could affect the management of patients at true risk. We therefore propose using KH- and demispan-based formulae to address this issue.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Gavriilidou
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pihlsgård
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elmståhl
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology