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. 2023 Nov 30;18(11):e0291526. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291526

Table 4. Female and male NHANES body composition measures using a large dataset (N = 187) as if 2% of the sample were misgendered.

Expected results compared to sex disparities in a large dataset were conducted using χ2.

Sample Size BMI (kg•m2) Subscapular Skinfold (mm) Triceps Skinfold (mm) Waist Girth (cm) Body Mass (kg)
Female 62 27.0 (4.6) 20.4 (6.9) 23.5 (7.3) 92.2 (11.5) 72.1 (13.6)
Male 125 26.4 (3.9) 18.7 (7.0) 13.6 (6.0) 95.2 (11.9) 80.6 (13.5)
p-value   0.19 0.052 < 0.001 0.052 < 0.001
Cohen’s d   0.145 (small) 0.254 (small) 1.544 (large) 0.521 (medium) 0.629 (medium)
χ2 Result χ2 (1, N = 10) = 13.52, p = <0.001, φ = 1.16 (large)
18–29 Year
Female 62 24.7 (4.4) 18.5 (7.9) 20.1 (8.6) 85.3 (11.1) 64.7 (12.7)
Male 125 25.0 (4.7) 16.5 (7.9) 13.8 (7.4) 87.9 (13.1) 78.9 (16.8)
p-value   0.334 0.053 < 0.001 0.078 < 0.001
Cohen’s d   0.065 (small) 0.254 (small) 0.856 (large) 0.209 (small) 0.909 (large)
χ2 Result χ2 (1, N = 10) = 0.56, p = 0.455, φ = 0.236 (small)
30–39 Year
Female 62 25.6 (4.3) 20.5 (7.5) 23.6 (7.4) 87.9 (9.9) 68.3 (12.2)
Male 125 26.5 (4.1) 18.5 (6.6) 13.7 (5.4) 93.8 (10.9) 81.8 (13.5)
p-value   0.084 0.04 < 0.001 < 0.001 < 0.001
Cohen’s d   0.219 (small) 0.288(small) 1.612 (large) 0.559 (medium) 1.031 (large)
χ2 Result χ2 (1, N = 10) = 0.56, p = 0.455, φ = 0.236 (small)
40–49 Year
Female 62 26.7 (4.6) 20.7 (7.7) 23.8 (8.2) 89.8 (10.7) 70.0 (13.0)
Male 125 27.2 (3.9) 20.0 (6.8) 13.6 (52) 97.3 (10.5) 84.6 (13.9)
p-value   0.234 0.278 < 0.001 < 0.001 < 0.001
Cohen’s d   0.120 (small) 0.096 (small) 1.600 (large) 0.713 (medium) 1.070 (large)
χ2 Result χ2 (1, N = 10) = 0.52, p = 0.473, φ = 0.227 (small)
50–59 Year
Female 62 26.4 (4.7) 21.3 (7.6) 23.7 (7.5) 91.2 (12.6) 70.0 (13.6)
Male 125 27.4 (3.9) 21.2 (6.8) 13.8 (5.8) 101.0 (11.1) 85.6 (14.2)
p-value   0.066 0.466 < 0.001 < 0.001 < 0.001
Cohen’s d   0.250 (small) 0.291 (small) 1.553 (large) 0.847 (large) 1.115 (large)
χ2 Result χ2 (1, N = 10) = 4.89, p = 0.027, φ = 0.700 (large)
60–69 Year
Female 62 27.4 (4.4) 20.7 (7.1) 24.4 (6.9) 94.7 (11.7) 72.1 (13.5)
Male 125 27.8 (4.5) 20.8 (6.9) 14.3 (5.9) 102.0 (12.1) 84.3 (15.8)
p-value   0.281 0.449 < 0.001 < 0.001 < 0.001
Cohen’s d   0.090 (small) 0.020 (small) 1.606 (large) 0.606 (medium) 0.814 (large)
χ2 Result χ2 (1, N = 10) = 0.56, p = 0.455, φ = 0.236 (small)
70+ Year
Female 62 26.9 (4.6) 17.9 (6.0) 21.2 (7.7) 95.1 (10.9) 66.3 (13.0)
Male 125 26.4 (3.9) 18.5 (6.4) 13.7 (4.5) 100.6 (11.0) 77.5 (14.5)
p-value   0.213 0.294 < 0.001 0.001 < 0.001
Cohen’s d   0.181 (small) 0.083 (small) 1.3001 (large) 0.505 (medium) 0.803 (large)
χ2 Result χ2 (1, N = 10) = 0.56, p = 0.455, φ = 0.236 (small)

Values are means (standard deviations). Cohen’s d interpreted as small = 0.00–0.49, medium = 0.50–0.79, and large ≥ 0.80 [23]. Effect size φ interpreted as trivial <0.1, small = 0.1–0.29, medium = 0.30–49, and large ≥ 0.5 [23]. Gray indicates a different decision or interpretation than initially made at baseline. NHANES: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; χ2: chi-squared; BMI: body mass index in kilograms(kg)•meter−2; mm: millimeters; cm: centimeters.