Comparison of self-reported and measured height and weight: implications for obesity research among young adults.

BACKGROUND: The use of self-reported data in epidemiological surveys leads to misclassification of the prevalence of obesity as the participants overestimate or underestimate height, weight and/or both. Such misclassifications vary according to gender, age, status and ethnicity. OBJECTIVES: To estimate on a sample of youth of both sexes (1) the difference between self-reported data and measured height and weight and (2) the extent of misclassification of BMI deriving from such differences. METHODS: Self-reporting in questionnaires and subsequent measurements of height and weight conducted by trained personnel. The mean values and the BMIs were calculated. RESULTS: Both sexes overestimate height (2.1 and 2.8cm for males and females, respectively), and underestimate weight (1.5 and 1.9kg for males and females, respectively). Consequently the BMI is underestimated (1.1 and 1.5 points for males and females, respectively). The classification of BMI from self-reported data shows underestimation of overweight in both sexes (8 percentage points) and of obese males (3.3 percentage points), an overestimation of normal weight (12.2 and 4.3 percentage points for males and females, respectively) and an excessive underweight in the girls (4.3 percentage points). CONCLUSIONS: There is a difference between self-reported and measured data and self-reported biases are reflected in the classification of the participants in the 4 categories of BMI.

[Paleopathology of the natural mummies of the inner Abruzzo region (XVIII-XIX century)]. / Paleopatologia delle mummie naturali dell'Abruzzo interno (secoli XVIII-XIX).

The inner Abruzzo region is a land of mountains and highlands with cold, dry climate, in which we started a systematic search of human remains. The five natural mummies found in the friary of San Giorgio degli Osservanti in Goriano Valli showed excellent preservation. Paleopathologic investigations demonstrated goiter, prostatic hyperplasia, arteriosclerosis, pneumonia, pulmonary silicoanthracosis, and two neoplasms. The series from the church of the Santissima Trinità in Popoli includes at least eight mummified bodies buried in a crypt. During a preliminary investigation we studied a 35-40 year old nobleman with poor dental status, costal fractures and a renal stone. The recovery of mummified human remains in the church of San Sebastiano in Navelli yielded 206 individuals. The initial paleopathologic analysis identified parodontal disease, fractures, tumors, degenerative joint diseases and traces of post-mortem examination. The presence of so many subjects represents a rich cultural heritage, confirming the great paleopathologic interest of the region.