Harald A Nygaard1. 1. NKS Olaviken Hospital for Old Age Psychiatry and Section for Geriatric Medicine, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Norway. harald.nygaard@isf.uib.no <harald.nygaard@isf.uib.no>
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To study whether arm span can be used as substitute for measurement of height in nursing home patients for calculating body mass index (BMI). DESIGN: Explanatory observational study. SETTING: Assessment of 35 nursing home residents admitted to long-term stay in a nursing home. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Correlation between measured height and arm span and of BMI based on both measures. RESULTS: Measured height and arm span, and BMI calculated from either measure were significantly correlated, r(s)=0.75, p <0.001 and r(s)=0.89, p <0.001, respectively. The ratios of measured height and arm span and between BMIs based on height or arm span are close to 1, but the dispersion is rather large. CONCLUSION: Arm span is a reliable substitute for measurement of height in nursing home patients. In persons with severe height reduction, arm-span-based BMI is probably more accurate than conventional height-based BMI.
OBJECTIVE: To study whether arm span can be used as substitute for measurement of height in nursing home patients for calculating body mass index (BMI). DESIGN: Explanatory observational study. SETTING: Assessment of 35 nursing home residents admitted to long-term stay in a nursing home. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Correlation between measured height and arm span and of BMI based on both measures. RESULTS: Measured height and arm span, and BMI calculated from either measure were significantly correlated, r(s)=0.75, p <0.001 and r(s)=0.89, p <0.001, respectively. The ratios of measured height and arm span and between BMIs based on height or arm span are close to 1, but the dispersion is rather large. CONCLUSION: Arm span is a reliable substitute for measurement of height in nursing home patients. In persons with severe height reduction, arm-span-based BMI is probably more accurate than conventional height-based BMI.