title: Four-year stability of anthropometric and cardio-metabolic parameters in a prospective cohort of older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the medium-term stability of anthropometric and cardio-metabolic parameters in the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 5160 men and women from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (age ≥50 years) assessed in 2004 and 2008. Anthropometric data included height, weight, BMI and waist circumference. Cardio-metabolic parameters included blood pressure, serum lipids (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), hemoglobin, fasting glucose, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stability of anthropometric variables was high (all intraclass correlations >0.92), although mean values changed slightly (-0.01 kg weight, +1.33 cm waist). Cardio-metabolic parameters showed more variation: correlations ranged from 0.43 (glucose) to 0.81 (HDL). The majority of participants (71-97%) remained in the same grouping relative to established clinical cut-offs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Over a 4-year period, anthropometric and cardio-metabolic parameters showed good stability. These findings suggest that when no means to obtain more recent data exist, a one-time sample will give a reasonable approximation to average levels over the medium-term, although reliability is reduced.
authors.affiliation: Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Cornelia Hm
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: van Jaarsveld
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Beeken
authors.forename: Marc J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gunter
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steptoe
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wardle
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: anthropometric; cardio-metabolic; reliability; reproducibility; stability; variability