Accuracy of Body Mass Index-defined Obesity Status in US Firefighters
Obesity is a significant problem affecting United States (US) firefighters. While body mass index (BMI) is widely used to diagnose obesity, its use for this occupational group has raised concerns about validity. We examined rates and types of misclassification of BMI-based obesity status compared to...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2014-09-01
|
| Series: | Safety and Health at Work |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791114000456 |
| _version_ | 1827852688938762240 |
|---|---|
| author | Nattinee Jitnarin Walker S.C. Poston Christopher K. Haddock Sara A. Jahnke Rena S. Day |
| author_facet | Nattinee Jitnarin Walker S.C. Poston Christopher K. Haddock Sara A. Jahnke Rena S. Day |
| author_sort | Nattinee Jitnarin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Obesity is a significant problem affecting United States (US) firefighters. While body mass index (BMI) is widely used to diagnose obesity, its use for this occupational group has raised concerns about validity. We examined rates and types of misclassification of BMI-based obesity status compared to body fat percentage (BF%) and waist circumference (WC). Male career firefighters (N = 994) from 20 US departments completed all three body composition assessments. Mean BMI, BF%, and WC were 29 kg/m2, 23%, and 97 cm, respectively. Approximately 33% and 15% of BF%- and WC-defined obese participants were misclassified as non-obese (false negatives) using BMI, while 8% and 9% of non-obese participants defined by BF% and WC standards were identified as obese (false positives) using BMI. When stratified by race/ethnicity, Pacific Islanders showed high rates of false positive misclassification. Precision in obesity classification would be improved by using WC along with BMI to determine firefighters' weight status. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:53:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c27b32108c5b44d3914912df1f8d23de |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2093-7911 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:53:50Z |
| publishDate | 2014-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Safety and Health at Work |
| spelling | doaj.art-c27b32108c5b44d3914912df1f8d23de2023-09-02T06:39:22ZengElsevierSafety and Health at Work2093-79112014-09-015316116410.1016/j.shaw.2014.06.003Accuracy of Body Mass Index-defined Obesity Status in US FirefightersNattinee Jitnarin0Walker S.C. Poston1Christopher K. Haddock2Sara A. Jahnke3Rena S. Day4Center for Fire Rescue and EMS Health Research, Institute for Biobehavioral Health Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Leawood, KS, USACenter for Fire Rescue and EMS Health Research, Institute for Biobehavioral Health Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Leawood, KS, USACenter for Fire Rescue and EMS Health Research, Institute for Biobehavioral Health Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Leawood, KS, USACenter for Fire Rescue and EMS Health Research, Institute for Biobehavioral Health Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Leawood, KS, USASchool of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USAObesity is a significant problem affecting United States (US) firefighters. While body mass index (BMI) is widely used to diagnose obesity, its use for this occupational group has raised concerns about validity. We examined rates and types of misclassification of BMI-based obesity status compared to body fat percentage (BF%) and waist circumference (WC). Male career firefighters (N = 994) from 20 US departments completed all three body composition assessments. Mean BMI, BF%, and WC were 29 kg/m2, 23%, and 97 cm, respectively. Approximately 33% and 15% of BF%- and WC-defined obese participants were misclassified as non-obese (false negatives) using BMI, while 8% and 9% of non-obese participants defined by BF% and WC standards were identified as obese (false positives) using BMI. When stratified by race/ethnicity, Pacific Islanders showed high rates of false positive misclassification. Precision in obesity classification would be improved by using WC along with BMI to determine firefighters' weight status.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791114000456body fatBMIfirefightersobesitywaist circumference |
| spellingShingle | Nattinee Jitnarin Walker S.C. Poston Christopher K. Haddock Sara A. Jahnke Rena S. Day Accuracy of Body Mass Index-defined Obesity Status in US Firefighters Safety and Health at Work body fat BMI firefighters obesity waist circumference |
| title | Accuracy of Body Mass Index-defined Obesity Status in US Firefighters |
| title_full | Accuracy of Body Mass Index-defined Obesity Status in US Firefighters |
| title_fullStr | Accuracy of Body Mass Index-defined Obesity Status in US Firefighters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Accuracy of Body Mass Index-defined Obesity Status in US Firefighters |
| title_short | Accuracy of Body Mass Index-defined Obesity Status in US Firefighters |
| title_sort | accuracy of body mass index defined obesity status in us firefighters |
| topic | body fat BMI firefighters obesity waist circumference |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791114000456 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nattineejitnarin accuracyofbodymassindexdefinedobesitystatusinusfirefighters AT walkerscposton accuracyofbodymassindexdefinedobesitystatusinusfirefighters AT christopherkhaddock accuracyofbodymassindexdefinedobesitystatusinusfirefighters AT saraajahnke accuracyofbodymassindexdefinedobesitystatusinusfirefighters AT renasday accuracyofbodymassindexdefinedobesitystatusinusfirefighters |