Validity of Self-reported Weight, Height and Body Mass Index Among College Students in Indonesia: Consequences for the Assessment of Obesity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3923/pjn.2017.51.60Keywords:
BMI, height, obesity, self-reported, weightAbstract
Background and Objective: Obesity has often been assessed based on self-reported Body Mass Index (BMI). However, BMI is frequently underestimated when derived from self-reported data, which may lead to an underrated prevalence of obesity. This study aimed to examine the validity of self-reported weight, height and BMI and its accuracy in assessing obesity in a sample of college students in Yogyakarta province, Indonesia. Materials and Methods: The weight and height of 209 male and 269 female college students in Yogyakarta province were measured. Before the measurements, the participants were asked to quantify their weight and height. The BMI was calculated. Correlation analysis, kappa statistic and Bland and Altman plots were used to evaluate the agreement between the self-reported and measured values. Multinomial regression analysis was performed to evaluate the factors associated with misreported BMI. Results: Self-reported height was underestimated by 1.2 cm in boys and 1.1 cm in girls, whereas weight was underestimated by 1.0 kg in boys and 0.5 kg in girls, consequently, BMI was slightly underestimated (0.67 kg m–2 in boys, 0.5 kg m–2 in girls), all with p<0.01. Nonetheless, there was high correlation, reliability and agreement between self-reported and measured values (p<0.01). The use of self-reported BMI to classify obesity indicated moderate to high sensitivity in all BMI categories, except for in underweight boys and overweight girls. Mother’s education in girls was the only significant predictor of misreporting BMI. Conclusion: Self-reported weight, height and BMI were valid in our sample population. However, this method should be used with caution with underweight boys and overweight girls. Self-reported weight, height and BMI may be useful indicators in large epidemiological studies in Indonesian young adults.
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