title: Comparison of height, weight, and body mass index data from state-mandated school physical fitness testing and a districtwide surveillance project.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Approximately one third of California school-age children are overweight or obese. Legislative approaches to assessing obesity have focused on school-based data collection. During 2010-2011, the Chula Vista Elementary School District conducted districtwide surveillance and state-mandated physical fitness testing (PFT) among fifth grade students. We compared height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) to examine measurement differences between the projects.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed demographic characteristics and BMI category frequencies. We used paired t-tests to test continuous variables. κ statistics were used to assess categorical agreement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 3549 children assessed, 69% were Hispanic. Fifty-one percent were boys. Mean heights, weights, and BMIs were significantly different for each project (p < .0001). Surveillance height (106.7-165.1 cm) and weight (21.6-90.8 kg) ranges were lesser than PFT ranges (109.2-180.3 cm and 22.7-98.4 kg). The overall BMI category agreement was good (weighted κ = 0.77). Categorical percentage agreement was highest among normal weight children (94.9%) and lowest among underweight children (56.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Methodological differences might have resulted in the observed height, weight, and BMI differences. As school-based interventions become common, districts should carefully consider measurement reliability, training, and data-handling protocols to have confidence in their findings.
authors.affiliation: Scimetrika, LLC, CDC Health Systems Integration Program, 3851 Rosecrans Street (MS-P572), San Diego, CA 92110.  christinakhaokham@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Christina B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Khaokham
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hillidge
authors.forename: Shaila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serpas
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Nader
mesh_terms: D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018580:Mandatory Testing; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: California; body mass index; obesity; population surveillance