Recall of body weight and body size estimation in women enrolled in the breast cancer detection and demonstration project (BCDDP)
Muñoz, K.A.; Ballard-Barbash, R.; Graubard, B.; Swanson, C.A.; Schairer, C.; Kahle, L.L.
International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity 20(9): 854-859
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0307-0565 PMID: 8880354 Document Number: 464030
The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and pictorial representations of body size were examined in 5807 women (33-77 years old) enrolled in the National Cancer Institute's and American Cancer Society's Breast Cancer Detection and Demonstration Project (BCDDP). Body weight and height were estimated in 1973. In 1977, a subset of the cohort recalled their usual height and weight at 10-year intervals starting at age 20. In 1987, subjects reported their usual and current weight and selected 1 of 9 pictorials best representing their body size at 15, 25, 40, 50 and +60 years old. For the cohort and among Caucasian women, Pearson correlations between recalled BMI (kg/msuperscript 2) and pictorials for each decade ranged from 0.62-0.67 and was 0.80 for current BMI and current pictorial. The range of correlations between pictorials and recalled BMI for other race/ethnic groups were 0.72-0.87 (Black), 0.53-0.75 (Hispanic) and 0.28-0.87 (Asian). Among a subset of women with data on estimated BMI, recalled BMI and pictorials at specific ages, correlation between pictorials and estimated BMI was 0.75, compared to the correlation between recalled BMI and estimated BMI which was 0.89. Correlations between recalled BMI and estimated BMI were increased compared with the correlation between pictorials and estimated BMI. Therefore, estimates of body size by pictorials alone may not be appropriate for epidemiological investigations. Alternate uses of pictorials may include assessment of body weight in low literate populations or in instances where body weight is not or has not been estimated.