Table 2.
Comparison of conclusions for self-reported versus measured weight from six studies of women in the UK and the United States with similar values of correlations, mean differences, and limits of agreement (LOA)
| Author (reference) | Study sample | Correlation | Mean difference (kg) | LOA (kg) | Conclusion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower | Upper | |||||
| Lawlor et al. [50] | 1310 women from the British Women’s Heart & Health Study, recruited 1999–2000 at ages 60–79 years | 0.98 | 1.0 | −4 | 6.0 | Self-report of weight should not be relied upon in prospective epidemiological studies or clinical practice when accuracy at the level of the individual is required. |
| Spencer et al. [51]a | 2938 women from the Oxford-European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) study in England recruited in 1993–1999 at ages 35–76 (median 52) | >0.9 | 1.4 | −3.4 | 6.2 | Self-reported … weight data have been shown here to be valid for identifying associations in epidemiological studies. In analyses where anthropometric factors are the primary variables of interest, measurements in a random sample of the study population can be used to improve the accuracy of estimates of height, weight, and BMI. |
| Wright et al. [52]a | 3999 women from the Million Women Study in England and Scotland, recruited between 1996 and 2001 at ages 50–64, measured in 2008 | 0.97 | 1.1 | −5.0 | 7.2 | Overall, however, we found that self-reported weight … [is] suitable for use in epidemiological analyses with long-term follow-up. |
| Pirie et al. [53]a,b | 1059 women ages 40–59 from the Minnesota sample of the Lipid Research Clinics Prevalence Program ages 40–59, measured ca. 1980 | 0.97 | 1.8 | −3.8 | 7.4 | Caution should be used when applying these results to individuals. The standard deviations of reporting discrepancy are high relative to the mean discrepancy … reported height and weight are not accurate as measures of true height and weight. |
| Rimm et al. [54]a,b | 140 women from the US Nurses’ Health Study, ages 41–64 at measurement in 1987 | 0.97 | 1.1 | −4.4 | 6.5 | Self-reported … weight measurements appear reasonably valid. |
| Luo et al. [55]a,b | 75,336 women from the US Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study ages 51–79 at baseline in 1993–1998 | 0.97 | 0.9 | −6.4 | 8.2 | [T]his large prospective study confirmed previously reported results that women demonstrate relatively valid estimates of body weight. |
a
LOA calculated as mean difference ± 2 SD based on published mean difference, sample size, and SE or SD
b
Converted from lb. to kg