How Accurate is Web-Based Self-Reported Height, Weight, and Body Mass Index in Young Adults?

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Abstract

Background

Web-based approaches are an effective and convenient medium to deliver eHealth interventions. However, few studies have attempted to evaluate the accuracy of online self-reported weight, and only one has assessed the accuracy of online self-reported height and body mass index (BMI).

Objective

This study aimed to validate online self-reported height, weight, and calculated BMI against objectively measured data in young Australian adults.

Methods

Participants aged 18-35 years were recruited via advertisements on social media sites and reported their current height and weight as part of an online survey. They then subsequently had the same measures objectively assessed by a trained researcher.

Results

Self-reported height was significantly overestimated by a mean of 1.36 cm (SD 1.93; P<.001), while self-reported weight was significantly underestimated by –0.55 kg (SD 2.03; P<.001). Calculated BMI was also underestimated by –0.56 kg/m ² (SD 0.08; P<.001). The discrepancy in reporting resulted in the misclassification of the BMI category of three participants. Measured and self-reported data were strongly positively correlated (height: r=.98, weight: r=.99, BMI: r=.99; P<.001). When accuracy was evaluated by BMI category and gender, weight remained significantly underreported by females ( P=.002) and overweight/obese participants ( P=.02).

Conclusions

There was moderate to high agreement between self-reported and measured anthropometric data. Findings suggest that online self-reported height and weight can be a valid method of collecting anthropometric data.

Related collections

Most cited references 22

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Effectiveness of web-based interventions in achieving weight loss and weight loss maintenance in overweight and obese adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

M. Neve, P Morgan, P R Jones … (2010)

The objectives of this systematic review are to evaluate the effectiveness of web-based interventions on weight loss and maintenance and identify which components of web-based interventions are associated with greater weight change and low attrition rates. A literature search from 1995 to April 2008 was conducted. Studies were eligible for inclusion if: participants were aged >or=18 years with a body mass index >or=25, at least one study arm involved a web-based intervention with the primary aim of weight loss or maintenance, and reported weight-related outcomes. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen studies aimed to achieve weight loss, and five focused on weight maintenance. Heterogeneity was evident among the studies with seven research questions examined across interventions of varying intensity. Seven studies were assessed for effectiveness based on percentage weight change, with four studies deemed effective. Although the four meta-analyses suggest meaningful weight change, it is not possible to determine the effectiveness of web-based interventions in achieving weight loss or maintenance due to heterogeneity of designs and thus the small number of comparable studies. Higher usage of website features may be associated with positive weight change, but we do not know what features improve this effect or reduce attrition.

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Validity of Web-Based Self-Reported Weight and Height: Results of the Nutrinet-Santé Study

Camille Lassale, Sandrine Péneau, Mathilde Touvier … (2013)

Background With the growing scientific appeal of e-epidemiology, concerns arise regarding validity and reliability of Web-based self-reported data. Objective The objectives of the present study were to assess the validity of Web-based self-reported weight, height, and resulting body mass index (BMI) compared with standardized clinical measurements and to evaluate the concordance between Web-based self-reported anthropometrics and face-to-face declarations. Methods A total of 2513 participants of the NutriNet-Santé study in France completed a Web-based anthropometric questionnaire 3 days before a clinical examination (validation sample) of whom 815 participants also responded to a face-to-face anthropometric interview (concordance sample). Several indicators were computed to compare data: paired t test of the difference, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland–Altman limits of agreement for weight, height, and BMI as continuous variables; and kappa statistics and percent agreement for validity, sensitivity, and specificity of BMI categories (normal, overweight, obese). Results Compared with clinical data, validity was high with ICC ranging from 0.94 for height to 0.99 for weight. BMI classification was correct in 93% of cases; kappa was 0.89. Of 2513 participants, 23.5% were classified overweight (BMI≥25) with Web-based self-report vs 25.7% with measured data, leading to a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 99%. For obesity, 9.1% vs 10.7% were classified obese (BMI≥30), respectively, leading to sensitivity and specificity of 83% and 100%. However, the Web-based self-report exhibited slight underreporting of weight and overreporting of height leading to significant underreporting of BMI (P<.05) for both men and women: –0.32 kg/m2 (SD 0.66) and –0.34 kg/m2 (SD 1.67), respectively. Mean BMI underreporting was –0.16, –0.36, and –0.63 kg/m2 in the normal, overweight, and obese categories, respectively. Almost perfect agreement (ie, concordance) was observed between Web-based and face-to-face report (ICC ranged from 0.96 to 1.00, classification agreement was 98.5%, and kappa 0.97). Conclusions Web-based self-reported weight and height data from the NutriNet-Santé study can be considered as valid enough to be used when studying associations of nutritional factors with anthropometrics and health outcomes. Although self-reported anthropometrics are inherently prone to biases, the magnitude of such biases can be considered comparable to face-to-face interview. Web-based self-reported data appear to be an accurate and useful tool to assess anthropometric data.

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Self-reported and measured weight, height and body mass index (BMI) in Italy, the Netherlands and North America.

Edmond Choi, E. Krul, Hein A. M. Daanen (2011)

Self-reported values of height and weight are used increasingly despite warnings that these data-and derived body mass index (BMI) values-might be biased. The present study investigates whether differences between self-reported and measured values are the same for populations from different regions, and the influences of gender and age. Differences between self-reported and measured weights, heights and resulting BMIs are compared for representative samples of the adult population of Italy, the Netherlands and North America. We observed that weight is under-reported (1.1 ± 2.6 kg for females and 0.4 ± 3.1 kg for males) and height over-reported (1.1 ± 2.2 cm for females and 1.7 ± 2.1 cm for males), in accordance with the literature. This leads to an overall underestimation of BMI values (0.7 ± 1.2 kg/m(2) or 2.8% for females and 0.6 ± 1.1 kg/m(2) or 2.3% for males). When BMI values are assigned to four categories (from 'underweight' to 'obesity'), 11.2% of the females and 12.0% of the males are categorized too low when self-reported weights and heights are used, with an extreme of 17.2% for Italian females. Older people tend to relatively over-report height and under-report weight, but the magnitude differs between countries and gender. We conclude that, apart from a general overestimation of height and underestimation of weight resulting in an underestimation of BMI, substantial differences are observed between countries, between females and males and between age groups.

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Author and article information

Contributors

Tracy L Burrows:

Faculty of Health and MedicinePriority Research Centre for Physical Activity and NutritionUniversity of NewcastleUniversity DriveCallaghan, 2308Australia61 024921551461 0249217053Tracy.Burrows@newcastle.edu.au

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): J Med Internet Res

Journal ID (publisher-id): JMIR

Title: Journal of Medical Internet Research

Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc. (Toronto, Canada )

ISSN (Print): 1439-4456

ISSN (Electronic): 1438-8871

Publication date Collection: January 2014

Publication date (Electronic): 07 January 2014

Volume: 16

Issue: 1

Electronic Location Identifier: e4

Affiliations

[1] ¹Faculty of Health and Medicine Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition University of Newcastle CallaghanAustralia

[2] ²Faculty of Health and Medicine Priority Research Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health University of Newcastle CallaghanAustralia

Author notes

Corresponding Author: Tracy L Burrows Tracy.Burrows@ 123456newcastle.edu.au

Article

Publisher ID: v16i1e4

DOI: 10.2196/jmir.2909

PMC ID: 3906650

PubMed ID: 24398335

SO-VID: cbfcdfd8-e8c0-47f4-ab02-7f4845c63b01

License:

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on http://www.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.

History

Date received : 26 August 2013

Date revision requested : 19 September 2013

Date revision received : 24 October 2013

Date accepted : 10 November 2013

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