Parents Master Remote Child Growth Measurements

TOPLINE:

Remote anthropometric measurements by caregivers demonstrated high concordance with examiner assessments, with reliability coefficients ranging from 0.91 to > 0.99 across all measurements. The assessment protocol proved feasible and low-burden for both English- and Spanish-speaking participants aged 0-17 years.

METHODOLOGY:

• Participants included 199 children (median age, 4.69 years; interquartile range, 1.58-10.37; 46.7% men) recruited across six United States sites between May and August 2023.
• Researchers assessed key anthropometric outcomes including infant length/child height, weight, percent body fat, head size, and waist circumference through both caregiver and examiner measurements.
• Analysis evaluated concordance between caregiver/examiner measurements using interrater reliability estimates, technical error of measurement, and mean absolute difference.
• Examiners received training from a pediatric nurse, while caregivers were provided with detailed administration materials in both English and Spanish.

TAKEAWAY:

• Intraclass correlation coefficient values demonstrated excellent agreement between caregivers and examiners (correlation coefficient, 0.92-0.99) across all assessments and age groups.
• Technical error of measurement showed high precision with low values for height (2.10 cm), weight (0.39 kg), percent body fat (2.33%), head circumference (0.73 cm), and waist circumference (3.65 cm).
• Mean absolute difference estimates remained low across measurements: Height (mean difference, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.82-2.42), weight (mean difference, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.29-0.41), and head size (mean difference, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.54-0.89).
• According to the authors, remote anthropometric assessment maintained high validity and reliability compared with traditional methods while reducing participant burden.

IN PRACTICE:

“With limited exceptions, both caregivers and examiners typically reported high ease of use. Interestingly, reported difficulty did not negatively impact the concordance between the two measurements (ie, similar reliability was observed for those who perceived the task as difficult). In concert, these findings establish that remote collection of anthropometric measurements may serve as an empirically validated alternative to traditional, in-person data collection paradigms,” wrote the authors of the study.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Emily H. Ho, PhD, Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University in Chicago. It was published online in Pediatrics.

LIMITATIONS:

According to the authors, potential compromises to internal validity occurred when caregivers performed assessments without supervision to prevent experimenter demand effects. The study sites were primarily located in major metropolitan areas of the Midwest and East Coast, potentially limiting geographical representation. Data entry and transcription anomalies required post-collection adjustments, though these are common issues in large multisite research programs.

DISCLOSURES:

The manuscript was supported by the Environmental Child Health Outcomes Study (1U240D023319-01) and Admin Supplement #(3U240D023319-05S1). The funder had no role in the design and conduct of the study.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.