Measured versus Reported Parental Height
© 2006 Prime Health Consultants, Inc.
Cizmecioglu and colleagues interviewed 200 parents (100 males, 100 females), mean age 37.8 years and ascertained their reported height. Their actual height was then measured by a single observer using a Harpenden stadiometer. On average, males overestimated their height, while females reported their height relatively accurately. However, there was a wide spread of discrepancies for both sexes. Overall there was a small positive correlation between age and the difference between reported and measured height. Of interest, subjects who had been measured previously were less accurate at reporting their height than those who guessed their height. The mean difference in reported versus measured height was 1.09 cm for men (range −3.3 to 5.2) and −0.09 for females (range −6.2 to 6.4). The authors pointed out that there was considerable individual variation among both sexes in over or under estimating their exact height and state that their data reinforces the need for accurate height measurement and recording of both mother and father at the earliest possible opportunity.
Editor’s Comment: This is a very short paper which represents some interesting and very important information. It is a relatively common practice in pediatric endocrine clinics to calculate the mid-parental height as a target height for the child being evaluated. Clearly it is important that this target height is calculated correctly. It is not uncommon for parents to state that they are unaware of their precise height or to report their height with obvious discrepancy from observation. In addition it is not uncommon for children to come the clinic with either one or more non-biological parents, or for information regarding the “no longer present” parent’s height to be estimated with little precision. The recommendations of the authors of this study should be taken seriously: parental height should be measured at the earliest possible time and become part of the child’s permanent medical record. Such information could be exceedingly helpful in guiding the evaluation and treatment of children with growth failure at a later date. At the very least, pediatricians and pediatric endocrinologists should be encouraged to actually measure parents who accompany their child for evaluation of growth failure.
William L. Clarke, MD