The Validity of Obesity Based on Self‐reported Weight and Height: Implications for Population Studies
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Objective: To validate self‐reported information on weight and height in an adult population and to find a useful algorithm to assess the prevalence of obesity based on self‐reported information. Research Methods and Procedures: This was a cross‐sectional survey consisting of 1703 participants (860 men and 843 women, 30 to 75 years old) conducted in the community of Vara, Sweden, from 2001 to 2003. Self‐reported weight, height, and corresponding BMI were compared with measured data. Obesity was defined as measured BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 . Information on education, self‐rated health, smoking habits, and physical activity during leisure time was collected by a self‐administered questionnaire. Results: Mean differences between measured and self‐reported weight were 1.6 kg (95% confidence interval, 1.4; 1.8) in men and 1.8 kg (1.6; 2.0) in women (measured higher), whereas corresponding differences in height were −0.3 cm (−0.5; −0.2) in men and −0.4 cm (−0.5; −0.2) in women (measured lower). Age and body size were important factors for misreporting height, weight, and BMI in both men and women. Obesity (measured) was found in 156 men (19%) and 184 women (25%) and with self‐reported data in 114 men (14%) and 153 women (20%). For self‐reported data, the sensitivity of obesity was 70% in men and 82% in women, and when adjusted for corrected self‐reported data and age, it increased to 81% and 90%, whereas the specificity decreased from 99% in both sexes to 97% in men and 98% in women. Discussion: The prevalence of obesity based on self‐reported BMI can be estimated more accurately when using an algorithm adjusted for variables that are predictive for misreporting.
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Older age and heavier weight are associated with inaccurate reporting of height and weight.
“Rural populations are older8 and appear to be heavier, and both of these factors are associated with inaccurate reporting of height and weight.9,10”
From Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults From Rural and Urban Areas of the United States: Findings From NHANES (2005‐2008) (2012) · cites this paper as [10]
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- Authors
- Nyholm, M., Gullberg, B., Merlo, J., Lundqvist‐Persson, C., Råstam, L., & Lindblad, U.
- Affiliations
- Lund University (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Lindblad, Ulf
- Venue
- Obesity
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2007-01
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 197-197
- ISSN
- 1930-7381 (ISSN-L)
- 1930-739X
- OpenAlex
- W1994485561
- Cited by
- 392
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 37
- FWCI
- 31.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Obesity (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Lunds Universitet
- Vetenskapsrådet
- Health and Medical Care Committee of the Regional Executive Board, Region Västra Götaland
- Medicinska Fakulteten, Lunds Universitet
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Survey Methodology and Nonresponse
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
- Keywords
- obesity prevalence, self-reported height and weight, body mass index, measurement error, misreporting, validation, sensitivity and specificity, correction algorithm, population survey
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Algorithms, Body Height, Body Weight, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity, Predictive Value of Tests, Surveys and Questionnaires, Self Disclosure, Sensitivity and Specificity, Sex Factors, Sweden, Reproducibility of Results, Body Mass Index, Prevalence
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