ERIC Number: EJ1221175
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Aug
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4391
EISSN: N/A
Accuracy of School Staff-Measured Height and Weight Used for Body Mass Index Screening and Reporting
Thompson, Hannah R.; Linchey, Jennifer K.; King, Benjamin; Himes, John H.; Madsen, Kristine A.
Journal of School Health, v89 n8 p629-635 Aug 2019
Background: The accuracy of students' heights and weights measured by school staff for body mass index (BMI) screening/reporting has not been established. This study examined school staffs' measurement accuracy, comparing accuracy by staff- and student-level characteristics. Methods: School staff and researchers measured the height and weight of 1008 4th-8th grade students, within 1 month of each other. Bland-Altman plots, mean differences, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to examine measurement accuracy. Linear mixed effects models assessed accuracy by staff- and student-level characteristics. Results: Bland-Altman plots revealed no appreciable bias in differences between researcher and staff measurements. The mean absolute difference between researcher and school staff measurements were 1.0 ± 1.6 cm (height), 0.7 ± 1.8 kg (weight), and 0.4 ± 0.8 kg/m[superscript 2] (BMI). Inter-rater ICC values were =0.97, demonstrating "excellent" reliability. Categorical weight status was correctly classified for 94% of students (kappa 0.90), and for 96% with a BMI =95th% (kappa 0.94). Physical education (PE) teachers were slightly less accurate than school nurses in measuring height (0.4 cm less accurate; p = 0.045) and weight (0.4 kg; p = 0.015). Conclusions: School staff conducted height/weight measurements on 4th-8th grade students with high accuracy. Resultant school-based BMI reports using similar protocols should validly reflect weight status for almost all students.
Descriptors: Body Composition, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Accuracy, Body Height, Body Weight, Screening Tests, School Personnel, Correlation, Physical Education Teachers, School Nurses
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2429/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Grade 5; Middle Schools; Grade 6; Grade 7; Junior High Schools; Secondary Education; Grade 8
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (DHHS/NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: R01HL120666