Validity of parentally reported versus measured weight, length and waist in 7- to 9-year-old children for use in follow-up studies

Abstract

Although there is a high agreement between parentally reported and measured WC, the parentally reported data must be used with reserve. Moreover, this study is the first to suggest that WC is a better indicator compared to BMI when parentally reported values are used to classify children.

The association of household food security, household characteristics and school environment with obesity status among off-reserve First Nations and Métis children and youth in Canada: results from the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey

“…Similar variation has been observed previously, and some research suggests that greater emphasis on outdoor physical activity and availability of facilities may be partially responsible for the observed difference in weight status across provinces. 43 In addition, socioeconomic status 44,45 as well as being born outside of Canada 44 has been inversely associated with a lower BMI among adults in several provinces, including British Columbia.…”

“…This may have resulted in an underestimate of the prevalence of obesity, as research shows that parents tend to underestimate their children's weight and overestimate height, leading to a lower BMI than when objectively measured. 45,46 Covariates not measured in this study, such as physical activity and diet, could be responsible for confounding effects. Additionally, given that this is not a well-studied topic, we were not able to compare this association in Aboriginal children and youth with any similar associations in the general Canadian population.…”

A persistently high body mass index increases the risk of atopic asthma at school age

“…As that option was not available, we asked the parents to use the records from child healthcare centre and schools and weigh and measure their child if these were not available. A Belgian study of children aged seven to nine years of age found that parentally reported measures of weight and length were strongly correlated with measured values, although parents tended to underreport weight (27). …”

Relation entre l’obésité et la sécurité alimentaire des ménages, les caractéristiques des ménages et le milieu scolaire chez les enfants métis et des Premières Nations vivant hors réserve au Canada : résultats de l’Enquête auprès des peuples autochtones de 2012

“…Un écart semblable a déjà été observé dans la littérature, et certaines recherches suggèrent qu'une plus grande importance accordée à l'activité physique à l'extérieur ainsi qu'une plus grande disponibilité en installations seraient en partie à l'origine de la différence relevée en matière de poids à l'échelle des provinces 43 . En outre, le statut socioéconomique 44,45 et le fait d'être né à l'extérieur du Canada 44 ont été inversement associés à un IMC plus bas chez les adultes dans plusieurs provinces, en particulier la Colombie-Britannique.…”

“…Par ailleurs, les données recueillies sur l'IMC sont subjectives : ce sont les personnes responsables des enfants qui ont été invitées à déclarer la taille et le poids de ces derniers. Il a pu en résulter une sousestimation de la prévalence de l'obésité, car on sait que les parents ont tendance à sous-estimer le poids de leurs enfants et à surestimer leur taille, ce qui donne un IMC inférieur à celui qui aurait pu être mesuré objectivement 45,46 . De plus, certaines covariables non mesurées dans cette étude, comme l'activité physique et l'alimentation, pourraient être à l'origine d'effets de confusion.…”