RT Journal Article
T1 Rounding as an indicator of bias in reported body weight in health surveys
A1 García González, Juan Manuel
A1 Martín Criado, Enrique
K1 Obesidad
K1 Calidad de datos
K1 Peso corporal
AB Due to the higher costs and selection bias of directly measuring weight, the majority of body weight data are based on survey responses. However, these statements are subject to systematic biases of social desirability; therefore, it is important to evaluate the magnitude of bias through indirect indicators such as rounding of weights. Data from seven rounds of the Spanish National Health Survey from 1995 to 2017 were included in the study, with 113,284 subjects. A general rounding index of weights terminating in 0 and 5, and a partial rounding index that estimated the bias direction, were used to estimate the bias distribution in the self-reporting of body weight. All body weights were systematically rounded, although more strongly in the lower weights and even more so in the higher weights. Lower weights were rounded up, and the higher weights rounded down. Regarding gender, men had higher rounding indices than women. The subjects generally reported a weight closer to the socially desirable weight. Rounding allows estimating the historical evolution of this bias in health and nutrition surveys, having more accurate information by population segments and designing public policies against obesity aimed at the more affected social segments.
PB Cambridge University Press
YR 2020
FD 2020
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10433/23369
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10433/23369
LA en
NO GARCÍA-GONZÁLEZ, J.M y MARTÍN-CRIADO, E., 2021, “Rounding as an indicator of bias in reported body weight in health surveys”, Journal of Biosocial Science, 53(5): 790-799.
NO Departamento de Sociología
DS RIO
RD Apr 23, 2026