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Aims: Up-to-date information on the accuracy between different anthropometric data collection methods is vital for the reliability of anthropometric data. A previous review on this matter was conducted a decade ago. Our aim was to conduct a literature review on the accuracy of self-reported height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) against measured values for assessing obesity in adults. To obtain an overview of the present situation, we included studies published after the previous review. Differences according to sex, BMI groups, and continents were also assessed. Methods: Studies published between January 2006 and April 2017 were identified from a literature search on PubMed. Results: Our search retrieved 62 publications on adult populations that showed a tendency for self-reported height to be overestimated and weight to be underestimated when compared with measured values. The findings were similar for both sexes. BMI derived from self-reported height and weight was underestimated; there was a clear tendency for underestimation of overweight (from 1.8%-points to 9.8%-points) and obesity (from 0.7%-points to 13.4%-points) prevalence by self-report. The bias was greater in overweight and obese participants than those of normal weight. Studies conducted in North America showed a greater bias, whereas the bias in Asian studies seemed to be lower than those from other continents. Conclusions: With globally rising obesity rates, accurate estimation of obesity is essential for effective public health policies to support obesity prevention. As self-report bias tends to be higher among overweight and obese individuals, measured anthropometrics provide a more reliable tool for assessing the prevalence of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary carotenoids have been hypothesized to protect against epithelial cancers. The authors analyzed the associations between intakes of specific carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein + zeaxanthin, and lycopene) and risk of colorectal cancer using the primary data from 11 cohort studies carried out in North America and Europe. Carotenoid intakes were estimated from food frequency questionnaires administered at baseline in each study. During 6-20 years of follow-up between 1980 and 2003, 7,885 incident cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed among 702,647 participants. The authors calculated study-specific multivariate relative risks and then combined them using a random-effects model. In general, intakes of specific carotenoids were not associated with colorectal cancer risk. The pooled multivariate relative risks of colorectal cancer comparing the highest quintile of intake with the lowest ranged from 0.92 for lutein + zeaxanthin to 1.04 for lycopene; only for lutein + zeaxanthin intake was the result borderline statistically significant (95% confidence interval: 0.84, 1.00). The associations observed were generally similar across studies, for both sexes, and for colon cancer and rectal cancer. These pooled data did not suggest that carotenoids play an important role in the etiology of colorectal cancer.

Intervention trials with supplemental beta-carotene have observed either no effect or a harmful effect on lung cancer risk. Because food composition databases for specific carotenoids have only become available recently, epidemiological evidence relating usual dietary levels of these carotenoids with lung cancer risk is limited. We analyzed the association between lung cancer risk and intakes of specific carotenoids using the primary data from seven cohort studies in North America and Europe. Carotenoid intakes were estimated from dietary questionnaires administered at baseline in each study. We calculated study-specific multivariate relative risks (RRs) and combined these using a random-effects model. The multivariate models included smoking history and other potential risk factors. During follow-up of up to 7-16 years across studies, 3,155 incident lung cancer cases were diagnosed among 399,765 participants. beta-Carotene intake was not associated with lung cancer risk (pooled multivariate RR = 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.87-1.11; highest versus lowest quintile). The RRs for alpha-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and lycopene were also close to unity. beta-Cryptoxanthin intake was inversely associated with lung cancer risk (RR = 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.67-0.86; highest versus lowest quintile). These results did not change after adjustment for intakes of vitamin C (with or without supplements), folate (with or without supplements), and other carotenoids and multivitamin use. The associations generally were similar among never, past, or current smokers and by histological type. Although smoking is the strongest risk factor for lung cancer, greater intake of foods high in beta-cryptoxanthin, such as citrus fruit, may modestly lower the risk.