QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bigaard, J. Articles by Tjønneland;, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bigaard, J. Articles by Tjønneland;, A.

---

Nutritional Methodology

Self-Reported and Technician-Measured Waist Circumferences Differ in Middle-Aged Men and Women

Janne Bigaard^*,,1, Iben Spanggaard^*, Birthe Lykke Thomsen^*, Kim Overvad^** and Anne Tjønneland;^*

^* Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, The Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark; Danish Epidemiology Science Centre and Research Unit for Dietary Studies at the Institute of Preventive Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; and ^** Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aalborg Hospital, and Aarhus University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark

¹To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: j.bigaard{at}dadlnet.dk.

We investigated the agreement between 1) self-reported and technician-measured waist circumference at the level of the umbilicus, 2) circumference measured at the level of the umbilicus and halfway between the lower rib and the iliac crest (the natural waist), and 3) self-reported circumference at the level of the umbilicus and technician-measured circumference at the natural waist. At follow-up in the Danish "Diet, Cancer and Health" study, we recruited 176 men and 240 women for a validation study. Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate agreement among measurement sites. Multiple regression was used to identify variables explaining the difference between measurements. The participants underestimated their waist circumference; the mean differences were –1.6 cm (95% CI: –2.4 cm, –0.8 cm) in men and –3.0 cm (95% CI: –3.8 cm, –2.3 cm) in women. Limits of agreement were from –11.9 to +8.7 cm among men and –14.9 to +8.9 cm among women. High BMI and large baseline waist circumference were associated with a larger degree of underreporting. Waist circumference measured at the level of the umbilicus was larger than at the natural waist; the mean differences were +0.7 cm (95% CI: +0.4 cm, +1.1 cm) in men and +5.0 cm (95% CI: +4.4 cm, +5.6 cm) in women. The self-reported waist circumference at the level of the umbilicus was correlated with the technician-measured circumference at the natural waist. The circumference at the natural waist was overestimated for women, depending on baseline waist circumference, and slightly underestimated for men, depending on baseline BMI.

KEY WORDS: • waist circumference • self-reported • umbilicus • middle age

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. S Tolstrup, J. Halkjaer, B. L Heitmann, A. M Tjonneland, K. Overvad, T. I. Sorensen, and M. N Gronbaek Alcohol drinking frequency in relation to subsequent changes in waist circumference Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2008; 87(4): 957 - 963. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Klein, D. B. Allison, S. B. Heymsfield, D. E. Kelley, R. L. Leibel, C. Nonas, and R. Kahn Waist Circumference and Cardiometabolic Risk: A Consensus Statement from Shaping America's Health: Association for Weight Management and Obesity Prevention; NAASO, The Obesity Society; the American Society for Nutrition; and the American Diabetes Association Diabetes Care, June 1, 2007; 30(6): 1647 - 1652. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Klein, D. B Allison, S. B Heymsfield, D. E Kelley, R. L Leibel, C. Nonas, and R. Kahn Waist circumference and cardiometabolic risk: a consensus statement from Shaping America's Health: Association for Weight Management and Obesity Prevention; NAASO, The Obesity Society; the American Society for Nutrition; and the American Diabetes Association Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2007; 85(5): 1197 - 1202. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Halkjaer, A. Tjonneland, B. L Thomsen, K. Overvad, and T. I. Sorensen Intake of macronutrients as predictors of 5-y changes in waist circumference. Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, October 1, 2006; 84(4): 789 - 797. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]