The use of weight tables to categorize patients with eating disorders

✍ Scribed by Pyle, Richard L. ;Mitchell, James E. ;Eckert, Elke D.

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1986
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 398 KB
• Volume: 5
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0276-3478
• DOI: 10.1002/1098-108x(198602)5:2<377::aid-eat2260050217>3.0.co;2-0

✦ Synopsis

This paper addresses the importance of correctly classifying eating disordered patients as to their weight. There seems to be no consistent approach to classification using the three most commonly used weight classification schemes: the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company tables of 1959 and 1983 and the 1)HEW weight tables of 1978. These three tables are discussed relative to their use in the classification of subjects as underweight, normal weight, or overweight. The tablfr and their various adjustments for heel height, clothing weight, and age are applied to 87 female pdtients coming to an eating disorder clinic. The percentage of subjects who were classified as underweight (range 16-7 7 %), normal weight (range 2 S . 5 1 %), and overweight (range 3 4 3 % ) varied dramatically between tables m d within tables using different applications. Differences between the tables based on height and age dre discussed. Suggestions are made about the corrcct derivation and reporting of weight classification of subjects in research studies.

Research reports of studies involving eating disorder patients require that patients be classified as to their weight. Such data are important in evaluating changes in subjects over time or in comparing samples across studies. Therefore, accurate weight classification is essential; however, different research groups working in the area of eating disorders use dif-~~