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Development of sex-specific equations for estimating stature of frail elderly Hispanics living in the northeastern United States^1,2,3,4

Background: The accurate measurement of stature is not possible in many frail elderly persons because of problems affecting their ability to stand straight. In such cases, knee height may be used to estimate stature.

Objective: This study was designed to explore the applicability of published regression equations to estimate stature of Puerto Rican and other Hispanic elderly persons living in the northeastern United States and to formulate ethnicity-specific equations for these persons.

Design: The study subjects (60–92 y of age) included 569 Hispanics and a comparison group of 153 non-Hispanic whites. Equations to estimate stature of Hispanics and Puerto Ricans living in the northeastern United States were developed with regression models in a randomly selected subgroup of the Hispanics. These equations were tested with the remaining Hispanic subgroup.

Results: The published equations significantly overestimated stature of our Hispanic subjects. Equations developed for Massachusetts Hispanics and Puerto Ricans provided estimates of stature that did not differ significantly from measured stature. We found further that equations for non-Hispanic whites published in 1985 predicted statures of our relatively low-income, non-Hispanic white subjects better than did newer 1998 equations developed from a national sample.

Conclusions: The stature of elderly Hispanics from the northeastern United States can be estimated by using equations derived from the same population. These, or similar equations, should be used to estimate stature of frail elderly persons for whom standing height cannot be taken accurately. Socioeconomic status as well as ethnicity may affect results when knee height equations are used.

Key Words: Anthropometry • knee height • stature • elderly • Hispanics • Puerto Ricans • northeastern United States • HHANES • Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey • third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey • NHANES III • Mexicans • Massachusetts Hispanic Elders Study