Eating disorders, dieting, and the accuracy of self-reported weight

Objective: This study investigated the accuracy of self-reported weight and height in individuals with an eating disorder (i.e., anorexia nervosa [AN] and bulimia nervosa [BN]) and in individuals without an eating disorder (i .e., dieters and nondieters). Method: Self-reported and measured weights an d heights were obtained from the eating disorder sample (n = 81) and the co llege student sample (n = 163) and were compared within and between the gro ups. Results: Eating disorder patients were extremely accurate at self-repo rting their weight. However, there was a significant difference in accuracy between AN and BN patients. AN patients slightly overreported their weight , whereas BN patients slightly underreported their weight. Both dieters and nondieters significantly underreported their weight. However, dieters sign ificantly underreported their weight to a greater degree than did the nondi eters. Discussion: The implications of these subgroup differences and their specificity to weight reporting are discussed with reference to the accura cy of self-reported height. (C) 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.