Ten-year trends (2000-2010) in bias of self-reported weight, height and body mass index in a Mediterranean adult population

Abstract

Aim: To assess trends in the biases of self-reported versus measured weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) in adults over the period 2000-2010 in a Mediterranean adult population.Methods: The sample population consisted of young (18-35) and middle-aged (36-55) adults living in the Balearic Islands, Spain. The data represent 1,089 people during 1999-2000 and 1,081 people during 2000-2010. Weighted-based frequency estimates were used.Results: While no differences between self-reported and measured weight, height and BMI were found in the respondents, it was seen that a decreasing percentage of the population knows their own weight and/or height. A rise in awareness was found in normal-weight men (from 95.0% to 98.9%), and also in normal-weight men and in the middle-aged obese category whose self-reported BMI was not defi ned as “correct” (from 41.2% to 85.7% and from 41.0% to 67.6% respectively). Conclusions: A substantial proportion of the population does not know their own weight or height. The obtained results suggest the need to develop strategies to enhance awareness of own weight and height.

Validity of Recreational Marathon Runners’ Self-Reported Anthropometric Data

“…The observed self-report bias in these anthropometric characteristics was consistent with reports from previous research with different participant samples, confirming a general human tendency to overestimate height and -Gortari et al, 2007;Bes-Rastrollo et al, 2005;Bibiloni et al, 2016). The marathon runners' self-report bias for body mass ($0.6 kg), BMI ($0.35 kg Á m À2 ), and height ($0.4 cm) observed in this study was consistent with a previous study of athletes that reported an underestimate of BMI calculations by 0.4 kg Á m À2 (Knechtle et al, 2012).…”

«Oberexia»: The desire to be fat(ter) in adults with excess weight

“…There is a debate on BMI for the detection of excess weight (Ramos-Silva, Savegnago-Mialich, Hoffman & Jordao, 2017), but findings supports its utility (Doménech-Asensi et al, 2018). In addition, no differences have been found between selfreported and measured weight, height and BMI (Bibiloni et al, 2016). Moreover, like in other studies (Benton & Karazsia, 2015), an online survey was used to collect the data, so it is possible that only those individuals with economic or educational resources allowing access to it or those highly motivated to collaborate in this type of studies might have participated.…”