Validation of remote anthropometric measurements in a rural randomized pediatric clinical trial in primary care settings
Abstract Rural children are more at risk for childhood obesity but may have difficulty participating in pediatric weight management clinical trials if in-person visits are required. Remote assessment of height and weight observed via videoconferencing may provide a solution by improving the accuracy...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50790-1 |
| _version_ | 1827388602757152768 |
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| author | E Zhang Ann M. Davis Elizabeth Yakes Jimenez Brittany Lancaster Monica Serrano-Gonzalez Di Chang Jeannette Lee Jin-Shei Lai Lee Pyles Timothy VanWagoner Paul Darden |
| author_facet | E Zhang Ann M. Davis Elizabeth Yakes Jimenez Brittany Lancaster Monica Serrano-Gonzalez Di Chang Jeannette Lee Jin-Shei Lai Lee Pyles Timothy VanWagoner Paul Darden |
| author_sort | E Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Rural children are more at risk for childhood obesity but may have difficulty participating in pediatric weight management clinical trials if in-person visits are required. Remote assessment of height and weight observed via videoconferencing may provide a solution by improving the accuracy of self-reported data. This study aims to validate a low-cost, scalable video-assisted protocol for remote height and weight measurements in children and caregivers. Families were provided with low-cost digital scales and tape measures and a standardized protocol for remote measurements. Thirty-three caregiver and child (6–11 years old) dyads completed remote (at home) height and weight measurements while being observed by research staff via videoconferencing, as well as in-person measurements with research staff. We compared the overall and absolute mean differences in child and caregiver weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and child BMI adjusted Z-score (BMIaz) between remote and in-person measurements using paired samples t-tests and one sample t-tests, respectively. Bland–Altman plots were used to estimate the limits of agreement (LOA) and assess systematic bias. Simple regression models were used to examine associations between measurement discrepancies and sociodemographic factors and number of days between measurements. Overall mean differences in child and caregiver weight, height, BMI, and child BMIaz were not significantly different between remote and in-person measurements. LOAs were − 2.1 and 1.7 kg for child weight, − 5.2 and 4.0 cm for child height, − 1.5 and 1.7 kg/m2 for child BMI, − 0.4 and 0.5 SD for child BMIaz, − 3.0 and 2.8 kg for caregiver weight, − 2.9 and 3.9 cm for caregiver height, and − 2.1 and 1.6 kg/m2 for caregiver BMI. Absolute mean differences were significantly different between the two approaches for all measurements. Child and caregiver age were each significantly associated with differences between remote and in-person caregiver height measurements; there were no significant associations with other measurement discrepancies. Remotely observed weight and height measurements using non-research grade equipment may be a feasible and valid approach for pediatric clinical trials in rural communities. However, researchers should carefully evaluate their measurement precision requirements and intervention effect size to determine whether remote height and weight measurements suit their studies. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04142034 (29/10/2019). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:21:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-33cd15ab7af24b81859181a95685f322 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:21:15Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-33cd15ab7af24b81859181a95685f3222024-01-07T12:20:37ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-01-0114111010.1038/s41598-023-50790-1Validation of remote anthropometric measurements in a rural randomized pediatric clinical trial in primary care settingsE Zhang0Ann M. Davis1Elizabeth Yakes Jimenez2Brittany Lancaster3Monica Serrano-Gonzalez4Di Chang5Jeannette Lee6Jin-Shei Lai7Lee Pyles8Timothy VanWagoner9Paul Darden10Department of Occupational Therapy Education, University of Kansas Medical CenterDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Kansas Medical CenterCollege of Population Health and Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences CenterDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Kansas Medical CenterDepartment of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown UniversityDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineDepartment of Pediatrics, West Virginia UniversityDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences CenterDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesAbstract Rural children are more at risk for childhood obesity but may have difficulty participating in pediatric weight management clinical trials if in-person visits are required. Remote assessment of height and weight observed via videoconferencing may provide a solution by improving the accuracy of self-reported data. This study aims to validate a low-cost, scalable video-assisted protocol for remote height and weight measurements in children and caregivers. Families were provided with low-cost digital scales and tape measures and a standardized protocol for remote measurements. Thirty-three caregiver and child (6–11 years old) dyads completed remote (at home) height and weight measurements while being observed by research staff via videoconferencing, as well as in-person measurements with research staff. We compared the overall and absolute mean differences in child and caregiver weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and child BMI adjusted Z-score (BMIaz) between remote and in-person measurements using paired samples t-tests and one sample t-tests, respectively. Bland–Altman plots were used to estimate the limits of agreement (LOA) and assess systematic bias. Simple regression models were used to examine associations between measurement discrepancies and sociodemographic factors and number of days between measurements. Overall mean differences in child and caregiver weight, height, BMI, and child BMIaz were not significantly different between remote and in-person measurements. LOAs were − 2.1 and 1.7 kg for child weight, − 5.2 and 4.0 cm for child height, − 1.5 and 1.7 kg/m2 for child BMI, − 0.4 and 0.5 SD for child BMIaz, − 3.0 and 2.8 kg for caregiver weight, − 2.9 and 3.9 cm for caregiver height, and − 2.1 and 1.6 kg/m2 for caregiver BMI. Absolute mean differences were significantly different between the two approaches for all measurements. Child and caregiver age were each significantly associated with differences between remote and in-person caregiver height measurements; there were no significant associations with other measurement discrepancies. Remotely observed weight and height measurements using non-research grade equipment may be a feasible and valid approach for pediatric clinical trials in rural communities. However, researchers should carefully evaluate their measurement precision requirements and intervention effect size to determine whether remote height and weight measurements suit their studies. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04142034 (29/10/2019).https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50790-1 |
| spellingShingle | E Zhang Ann M. Davis Elizabeth Yakes Jimenez Brittany Lancaster Monica Serrano-Gonzalez Di Chang Jeannette Lee Jin-Shei Lai Lee Pyles Timothy VanWagoner Paul Darden Validation of remote anthropometric measurements in a rural randomized pediatric clinical trial in primary care settings Scientific Reports |
| title | Validation of remote anthropometric measurements in a rural randomized pediatric clinical trial in primary care settings |
| title_full | Validation of remote anthropometric measurements in a rural randomized pediatric clinical trial in primary care settings |
| title_fullStr | Validation of remote anthropometric measurements in a rural randomized pediatric clinical trial in primary care settings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Validation of remote anthropometric measurements in a rural randomized pediatric clinical trial in primary care settings |
| title_short | Validation of remote anthropometric measurements in a rural randomized pediatric clinical trial in primary care settings |
| title_sort | validation of remote anthropometric measurements in a rural randomized pediatric clinical trial in primary care settings |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50790-1 |
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