Validity of overweight and obesity in a nation based on self-report versus measurement device data

Abstract

Objective: To analyze overweight and obesity in a nation by self-report (SR) data and by data about the target person provided via other household members compared to measurement devices (MD). The magnitude of hypothesized under-reporting by the SR data should be estimated with adjustment for age, gender, and education. Design: Two cross-sectional studies, nationally representative health examination surveys (response rates: 61.4 and 73.2%, respectively). Setting: Adult general population of Germany aged 20-79 years. Subjects: Sample 1 included 6806 residents. Samples 2 (n ¼ 98 673) and 3 (n ¼ 34 960) included residents in the second survey. Measurements: In sample 1 MD data were collected, in sample 2 SR data were collected, and in sample 3 body weight and height information was provided from another household member living together with the target person. Results: MD data revealed higher proportions of overweight and obesity compared to SR. Among women with body mass index (BMI) 35.00 or higher, the odds ratio (OR) was 3.9 (95% confidence interval, CI, 3.2-4.7), and among men 2.8 (CI, 2.2-3.6) for MD versus SR. Data from other household members also revealed higher proportions of overweight and obesity than SR (OR for BMI 35.00 or higher 2.1, CI, 1.7-2.5, for data from other household members versus SR in women and OR 1.3, CI, 1.1-1.5, in men).

Smoking status, cigarettes per day, and their relationship to overweight and obesity among former and current smokers in a national adult general population sample

“…25 Strengths of this study include the national random sample with a considerable age range and a BMI measurement that has been shown to be more valid than self-report measures on body weight and height. 36 Limitations of our approach include, first, that the study is cross-sectional. Second, no validation of the smoking data could be achieved.…”

A review and meta-analysis of the effect of weight loss on all-cause mortality risk

“…Self-reporting of body weight may be cheap and easily carried out; however, it is affected by a number of biases. Actual measurement of body weight using appropriate devices is recommended for complete accuracy and reliability of the data (27) . Our finding of a marginally increased risk of death among overweight but otherwise healthy adults who lost weight intentionally, if true, has important public health implications.…”

Le surplus de poids chez les francophones et les anglophones

“…L'IMC ne prend pas en compte la distribution régionale du gras corporel, une variable importante à considérer puisqu'un excès de tissu adipeux au niveau abdominal est associé à des risques pour la santé plus importants qu'un excès de réserves adipeuses localisées au niveau glutéo-fémoral 23 . Pour ces raisons, l'IMC ne devrait pas nécessairement être utilisé au niveau individuel, bien qu'il demeure un indicateur valide au niveau des enquêtes populationnelles 11,24,25 . Des études de nature méthodologique ont aussi fait ressortir que les Canadiens ont tendance à surestimer leur taille et à sous-estimer leur poids, notamment dans le cadre de réponses à l'ESCC.…”

“…Des études de nature méthodologique ont aussi fait ressortir que les Canadiens ont tendance à surestimer leur taille et à sous-estimer leur poids, notamment dans le cadre de réponses à l'ESCC. La prévalence du surplus de poids calculée à partir de données rapportées sous-estime généralement l'ampleur du problème 24,25 . Pour des raisons d'ordre statistique (en raison de la taille limitée de l'échantillon francophone), nous avons combiné les catégories embonpoint et obésité dans notre analyse.…”