VALIDITY OF REPORTED PARENTAL HEIGHT IN OUTPATIENT GROWTH CLINICS IN BUENOS-AIRES CITY

Differences between reported and properly measured parental height were evaluated in 82 mothers and 62 fathers attending either of two growth clinics in Buenos Aires city. Measured height was adjusted to its physiological decline with age. A significant trend towards overestimation of mother's and father's self stature and of mothers' report of their husband's stature was found in the private clinic (PRC). Variances of differences between reported and measured height were significantly greater in mothers attending the clinic of the public hospital (PUC), thus suggesting more inaccurate estimations in lower-class families. Ranges of differences were 5.0/-4.8 and 5.6/-5.8 cm for mothers' and fathers' self-estimations in the PRC. Figures for the PUC were 12.2/-6.7 and 5.0/-5.9 cm respectively. Ranges of differences in mothers' report of their husbands' heights were 5.1/-1.7 (PRC) and 9.4/-14.6 cm (PUC). Partial regression and correlation coefficients showed a significant trend of taller parents to be more inaccurate in their reporting. There were neither age nor sex influences on the accuracy or parental estimations. Individual variations in the errors found show the importance of measuring actual parental height for growth assessment in a clinical setting.