W S C Poston1, N Jitnarin2, C K Haddock2, S A Jahnke2, R S Day3. 1. Center for Fire, Rescue and EMS Health Research, Institute for Biobehavioral Health Research, NDRI-MA, NDRI: National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., Leawood, KS 66224, USA, poston@ndri.org. 2. Center for Fire, Rescue and EMS Health Research, Institute for Biobehavioral Health Research, NDRI-MA, NDRI: National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., Leawood, KS 66224, USA. 3. Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, University of Texas Houston Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Obesity is of increasing concern especially among firefighters. Bias in self-reported body weight, height and body mass index (BMI) has received a great deal of attention given its importance in epidemiological field research on obesity. AIMS: To determine the validity of self-reported weight, height and BMI and identify potential sources of bias in a national sample of US firefighters. METHODS: Self-reported and measured weight and height (and BMI derived from them) were assessed in a national sample of 1001 career male firefighters in the USA and errors in self-reported data were determined. RESULTS: There were 1001 participants. Self-reported weight, height and BMI were significantly correlated with their respective measured counterparts, i.e. measured weight (r = 0.990; P < 0.001), height (r = 0.961; P < 0.001) and BMI (r = 0.976; P < 0.001). The overall mean difference and standard deviation between self-reported weight, height and BMI were 1.3±2.0kg, 0.94±1.9cm and 0.09±0.9kg/m(2), respectively, for male firefighters. BMI-based weight status (P < 0.001) was the most consistent factor associated with bias in self-reported BMI, weight and height, with heavier firefighters more likely to underestimate their weight and overestimate their height, resulting in underestimated BMIs. Therefore, using self-reported BMI would have resulted in overestimating the prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0) by 1.8%, but underestimating the prevalence of more serious levels of obesity (Class II and III) by 1.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported weight and height (and the resulting BMI) were highly correlated with measured values. A primary and consistent source of error in self-reported weight, height and BMI based on those indices was BMI-based weight status.
BACKGROUND:Obesity is of increasing concern especially among firefighters. Bias in self-reported body weight, height and body mass index (BMI) has received a great deal of attention given its importance in epidemiological field research on obesity. AIMS: To determine the validity of self-reported weight, height and BMI and identify potential sources of bias in a national sample of US firefighters. METHODS: Self-reported and measured weight and height (and BMI derived from them) were assessed in a national sample of 1001 career male firefighters in the USA and errors in self-reported data were determined. RESULTS: There were 1001 participants. Self-reported weight, height and BMI were significantly correlated with their respective measured counterparts, i.e. measured weight (r = 0.990; P < 0.001), height (r = 0.961; P < 0.001) and BMI (r = 0.976; P < 0.001). The overall mean difference and standard deviation between self-reported weight, height and BMI were 1.3±2.0kg, 0.94±1.9cm and 0.09±0.9kg/m(2), respectively, for male firefighters. BMI-based weight status (P < 0.001) was the most consistent factor associated with bias in self-reported BMI, weight and height, with heavier firefighters more likely to underestimate their weight and overestimate their height, resulting in underestimated BMIs. Therefore, using self-reported BMI would have resulted in overestimating the prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0) by 1.8%, but underestimating the prevalence of more serious levels of obesity (Class II and III) by 1.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported weight and height (and the resulting BMI) were highly correlated with measured values. A primary and consistent source of error in self-reported weight, height and BMI based on those indices was BMI-based weight status.
Authors: Trevin E Glasgow; Elizabeth L Adams; Albert Ksinan; D Jeremy Barsell; Jessica Lunsford-Avery; Shanshan Chen; Scott Kollins; Julia C Schechter; Rachel Maguire; Matthew Engelhard; Bernard F Fuemmeler Journal: Int J Obes (Lond) Date: 2022-05-12 Impact factor: 5.551
Authors: Christopher Heard; Paul A Scuffham; Julie Ratcliffe; Jennifer A Whitty Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2017-03-21 Impact factor: 3.186
Authors: Sara A Jahnke; Christopher K Haddock; Nattinee Jitnarin; Christopher M Kaipust; Brittany S Hollerbach; Walker S C Poston Journal: Biomed Res Int Date: 2019-03-20 Impact factor: 3.411
Authors: Denise L Smith; Jeannie M Haller; Maria Korre; Patricia C Fehling; Konstantina Sampani; Luiz Guilherme Grossi Porto; Costas A Christophi; Stefanos N Kales Journal: J Am Heart Assoc Date: 2018-09-18 Impact factor: 5.501