Comparing the reliability of using a figure rating scale or observation in the diagnosis of obesity at the ESO clinic.

Item

Title
Comparing the reliability of using a figure rating scale or observation in the diagnosis of obesity at the ESO clinic.
Author(s)
Legros-Palmer, S
Abstract
Introduction: Recent studies have shown that the diagnosis of obesity is suboptimal in both child and adult populations. As a result of this, obesity is under-treated despite its strong link to metabolic disease. In this study, a figure rating scale is tested on its accuracy at diagnosing body weight as compared to observation and waist-to-height ratio. Methods: A sample of 20 final year osteopathic students was selected to attempt to diagnose 60 patients at the school clinic. Each patient’s body weight was diagnosed with the use of a figure rating scale, observation and waist-to-height ratio (control). Firstly, Fisher’s exact test was carried out to outline any association between the three methods of diagnosis. Secondly, Odd’s ratio was used to determine whether female or male practitioners were more consistent with their results. Finally, inter-rater reliability was calculated using the AgreeStat2011 program to outline reliability and consistence of results. Results: Two patients (3.333%) were categorized as obese using observation and 4 (6.667%) using FRS. WtHR however, suggests that 30 patients (50%) were obese. Despite this disparity, association was detected between FRS and WtHR (p=0.2916; Fisher’s exact) indicating that if the categories of overweight, obese and morbidly obese are all put together under a larger heading of “central obesity”, the FRS is a useful tool at recognising “at-risk” patients. Odd’s ratio results suggest that females are almost 6 times more likely to circle the same category for both body weight measurement methods than males are. However, descriptive statistics suggest that females are more likely to categorize patients within the left end of the FRS whilst males are more objective about patients towards the right end of the scale. Gwet’s statistical test for inter-rater reliability can be interpreted as “fair” (AC1=0.6) suggesting that most students are able to match the correct FRS image to the category they have chosen with observation. Conclusion: Results suggest that students have a tendency to underestimate body size and therefore that there is a need to increase training in this area. The FRS proves to be a promising method of obesity diagnosis however; it must be further tested with regards to BMI and possibly revisited to make figures look more realistic.
presented at
European School of Osteopathy
Date Accepted
2014
Date Submitted
20.1.2015 16:43:40
Type
osteo_thesis
Language
English
Submitted by:
62
Pub-Identifier
15505
Inst-Identifier
1229
Keywords
Stunkard, waist-to-height ratio, Obesity.
Recommended
0
Item sets
Thesis

Legros-Palmer, S, “Comparing the reliability of using a figure rating scale or observation in the diagnosis of obesity at the ESO clinic.”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 17, 2024, https://www.osteopathicresearch.com/s/orw/item/659