Concordance of self-report and measured height and weight of college students

J Nutr Educ Behav. 2015 Jan-Feb;47(1):94-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.012. Epub 2014 Oct 12.

Abstract

Objective: This study examined associations between college students' self-report and measured height and weight.

Methods: Participants (N = 1,686) were 77% white, 62% female, aged 18-24 years (mean ± SD, 19.1 ± 1.1 years), and enrolled at 8 US universities. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated for self-report (via online survey); trained researchers measured height and weight and categorized them as normal (18.5 to < 25), overweight (25 to < 30), obese (30 to < 35), and morbidly obese (≥ 35).

Results: Concordance of self-report vs objectively measured BMI groups using chi-square revealed that 93% were accurate, 4% were underestimated, and 2.7% were overestimated. Pearson correlations and adjusted linear regression revealed significant associations between self-report and measured BMI (r = .97; P < .001) and BMI adjusted for age, gender, and race/ethnicity (R² = .94). Concordance was also high between BMI categories (kappa = 0.77; P < .001).

Conclusions and implications: Findings provide support for the utility of self-report height and weight for survey research in college students.

Keywords: body mass index; college students; height; self-report; weight.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Body Height*
  • Body Mass Index
  • Body Weight*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Obesity / diagnosis*
  • Obesity / epidemiology
  • Obesity, Morbid / diagnosis*
  • Obesity, Morbid / epidemiology
  • Overweight / diagnosis*
  • Overweight / epidemiology
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Self Report
  • Students
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Universities
  • Young Adult