Original Research
Vol. 1, Issue 1 (2015)
Measured Anthropometrics are Needed in Rural Areas: An Important Role for School Nurses
Monica Hunsberger, RD, MPH, PhD1*, Jamie Smith, RN, BSN, MPH2, Beth Ann Beamer, RN, BSN3, Jean O’Malley, MPH4 and Paul McGinnis MPA5
Received: Oct 24, 2014
Accepted: Dec 31, 2014
Published: Jan 03, 2015
Views: 12
DOI: 10.14437
Abstract
In a sample of 8th and 11th grade children at one rural school located in Oregon, USA we demonstrate that measured anthropometric values are needed for accurate surveillance of body mass index (BMI). Gender and grade adjusted quantile regression analysis showed the median self-reported BMI (calculated from reported height and weight) was 1.39 ± 0.43 kg/m2 lower than that of measured anthropometric data, p<0.001, and the 75th percentile was 1.90 ± 0.77 kg/m2 lower in self-reported data, p<0.05). The bias in self-reported data increases as BMI increases, underestimating rural population obesity prevalence among youth. School nurses are poised to systematically and longitudinally assess students that may not have regular access to health care.
Monica Hunsberger (2014), Measured Anthropometrics are Needed in Rural Areas: An Important Role for School Nurses. Obes Control Open Access 1:103
Copyright:
Copyright: © 2015 OCOA. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, Version 3.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.