BACKGROUND: In adults, body weight tends to be underestimated when based on self-reported data. Whether this discrepancy between measured and reported data exists in healthy young children is unclear. We studied whether parental reported body weight and height of 4-year-old children corresponded with measured body weight and height. In addition, we studied the determinants and the consequences of differences between reported and measured data. METHODS: Data on body weight and height of 864 4-year-old Dutch children born in 1996/1997 enrolled in the Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy (PIAMA) birth cohort study were collected via a questionnaire and a medical examination. Overweight was defined according to standard international age and gender specific definitions. RESULTS: Mean differences between measured and reported body weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were small. Parents of children with a low BMI tended to over report body weight while parents of children with a high BMI tended to underreport body weight. Whereas 9.5% of the children were overweight according to reported BMI, the prevalence of overweight was 13.4% based on measured BMI. Over 45% of the overweight children according to measured BMI were missed when reported BMI was used. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that overweight prevalence rates in children are underestimated when based on reported weight and height.
BACKGROUND: In adults, body weight tends to be underestimated when based on self-reported data. Whether this discrepancy between measured and reported data exists in healthy young children is unclear. We studied whether parental reported body weight and height of 4-year-old children corresponded with measured body weight and height. In addition, we studied the determinants and the consequences of differences between reported and measured data. METHODS: Data on body weight and height of 864 4-year-old Dutch children born in 1996/1997 enrolled in the Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy (PIAMA) birth cohort study were collected via a questionnaire and a medical examination. Overweight was defined according to standard international age and gender specific definitions. RESULTS: Mean differences between measured and reported body weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were small. Parents of children with a low BMI tended to over report body weight while parents of children with a high BMI tended to underreport body weight. Whereas 9.5% of the children were overweight according to reported BMI, the prevalence of overweight was 13.4% based on measured BMI. Over 45% of the overweight children according to measured BMI were missed when reported BMI was used. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that overweight prevalence rates in children are underestimated when based on reported weight and height.
Authors: Jessica S Gubbels; Stef P J Kremers; Annette Stafleu; R Alexandra Goldbohm; Nanne K de Vries; Carel Thijs Journal: Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act Date: 2012-06-21 Impact factor: 6.457
Authors: N E Berentzen; L van Rossem; U Gehring; G H Koppelman; D S Postma; J C de Jongste; H A Smit; A H Wijga Journal: Int J Obes (Lond) Date: 2015-09-23 Impact factor: 5.095
Authors: Saskia W van den Berg; Alet H Wijga; Lenie van Rossem; Ulrike Gehring; Gerard H Koppelman; Henriette A Smit; Jolanda M A Boer Journal: Eur J Nutr Date: 2015-04-18 Impact factor: 5.614