title: Stature estimation using the knee height measurement amongst Brazilian elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stature is an important variable in several indices of nutritional status that are applicable to elderly persons. However, stature is difficult or impossible to measure in elderly because they are often unable to maintain the standing position. A alternative is the use of estimated height from measurements of knee height measure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the formula proposed by Chumlea et al. (1985) based on the knee of a Caucasian population to estimate the height and its application in calculation of body mass index in community- dwelling older people residents in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 621 elderly aged 60 years old and older, living in the community. Measures of weight, height and knee height (KH) were taken and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated with the measured weight and estimated. The Student`s t-test was used for comparison of measurements of height between the genders. For the comparison of estimated and measured values it was used paired t-test and also the methodology proposed by Bland and Altman to compare the difference between measurements. To evaluate the agreement between the classifications for BMI was used Cohen's Kappa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average values obtained from KH were higher than those measured in the whole sample and women. There underestimation of BMI in females and also in the whole.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that the equation Chumlea was not adequate to estimate the height of the sample in question, especially for women.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrição e Saúde, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, UFV. Centro Viçosa-MG. Brazil.. alinefogal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Aline Siqueira
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Fogal
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrição e Saúde, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, UFV. Centro Viçosa-MG. Brazil.. alinefogal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sylvia do Carmo Castro
authors.initials: Sdo C
authors.lastname: Franceschini
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrição e Saúde, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, UFV. Centro Viçosa-MG. Brazil.. alinefogal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Silvia Eloiza
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Priore
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrição e Saúde, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, UFV. Centro Viçosa-MG. Brazil.. alinefogal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rosângela Minardi M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cotta
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrição e Saúde, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, UFV. Centro Viçosa-MG. Brazil.. alinefogal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andréia Queiroz
authors.initials: AQ
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000465:Algorithms; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged