COMPARISON OF SELF-REPORTED VERSUS ACTUAL HEIGHT AND WEIGHT IN THE ORTHOPAEDIC POPULATION

Introduction Body Mass Index (BMI) is an essential tool for orthopaedic surgeons in regards to preoperative risk stratification as well as assessment of overall health and nutritional status. Patient's self-awareness of their height, weight and BMI is crucial in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The purpose of our study was to determine the accuracy of orthopaedic patient's reported height and weight. We hypothesized that a patient's age, sex and/or BMI may affect the accuracy of these reported values. Methods After IRB approval, we performed a prospective, observational study in the setting of our orthopaedic clinic. Patients were asked to report their predicted height and weight and then were weighed and measured using a single standardized scale. All values, including age and sex, were recorded. Differences were then calculated. Patients were categorized based on their age (younger than 65 vs older than 65), sex, and actual BMI (less than 30 vs greater than 30). Student t-test was used to calculate sign...