Validity of self-reported weight and height among female young adults in the United Arab Emirates

This study aims to compare self-reported weight and height with measured values among young female adults in the United Arab Emirates. A cross-sectional study of 131 female university students aged 17–27 reported their weight and height on a self-administere d questionnaire and on the same day had their height and weight measured. Body Mass Index (BMI) values of both self-reported and measured weight and height were calculated and categorized according to the World Health Organization’s cut-off points. Overall, 87% of students had a resultant self-rep orted BMI value within their actual BMI category. The mean differences between self-reported and measured weight and height in the present study were -0.92 kg and 0.38 cm, respectively. Results indicated strong agreement between self-reported and direct measurements, as demonstrated by weighted Kapp a statistics (kappa = 0.87). Bland& Altman plots illustrated that the majority of values fell within the limits of agreement (2 SD), with no systemic bias detected. BMI calculated from self-reported data demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity. Linear regression analyses revealed that self-reported weight (r2 = 0.973; p
Source: PLoS One - Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Source Type: research