Australian and New Zealand journal of public health
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Aust N Z J Public Health · Dec 2011
Validity of self-reported height and weight and derived body mass index in middle-aged and elderly individuals in Australia.
Body mass index (BMI) is an important measure of adiposity. While BMI derived from self-reported data generally agrees well with that derived from measured values, evidence from Australia is limited, particularly for the elderly. ⋯ Self-reported data on height and weight quantify body size appropriately in middle-aged and elderly individuals for relative measures, such as quantiles of BMI. However, caution is necessary when reporting on absolute BMI and standard BMI categories, based on self-reported data, particularly since use of such data is likely to result in underestimation of the prevalence of obesity.