Accuracy of self-reported weight in patients with binge eating disorder

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the accuracy of self-reporte d weight in patients with binge eating disorder. Method: Subjects were 108 adults who were consecutively evaluated for outpatient clinical trials and met DSM-IV criteria for binge eating disorder. Self-reported and measured w eights were taken and participants were administered a battery of measures to examine correlates of reporting error. In addition, accurate reporters o f weight (i.e., individuals who reported their weight within 5 lb of their measured weight) were compared to underreporters (i.e., individuals who und erreported their weight by more than 5 lb) on eating disorder psychopatholo gy and conceptually related measures. Results: Overall, most binge eating d isorder subjects were accurate in reporting weight: 73% were accurate withi n 5 Ib and 82% were accurate within 10 lb. Self-reported and measured body mass index were highly correlated and the magnitude of the difference was n onsignificant. Body mass index was not significantly associated with the de gree of accuracy, that is, accurate reporters weighed about the same as und erreporters. Accurate reporters and underreporters did not differ on measur es of overeating behaviors, eating disorder psychopathology, and conceptual ly related measures. Discussion: These findings suggest that most patients with binge eating disorder were accurate in self-reporting weight. Unlike f indings in healthy samples, heavier patients with binge eating disorder wer e not more likely to underreport weight. Similar to findings in patients wi th bulimia nervosa, eating disorder psychopathology was not related to repo rting error. (C) 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.