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End-digits preference for self-reported height depends on language.

Matthias Bopp1, David Faeh

  • 1Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland. bopp@ifspm.uzh.ch

BMC Public Health
|October 2, 2008
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Summary

Self-reported height data show end-digit preferences, particularly for zero and five, varying by language and nationality. These cultural patterns in height reporting can impact statistical analysis and require consideration for accurate comparisons.

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Area of Science:

  • Biostatistics
  • Sociolinguistics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • End-digit preference is common in self-reported data (e.g., weight, blood pressure).
  • Little is known about end-digit preference in self-reported body height.
  • Preference for specific end-digits can distort statistical estimates and prevalence data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate end-digit preference in self-reported body height.
  • To examine how these preferences relate to demographic and cultural factors like sex, age, education, and nationality.
  • To assess the influence of language on height reporting patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of self-reported height data from 47,192 individuals (≥15 years) in Swiss Health Surveys (1992/93, 1997, 2002).
  • Examination of digit preferences by sex, age, education, survey, smoking status, interview language, and nationality.
  • Multivariate logistic regression used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals.

Main Results:

  • Italian and French nationals/Swiss showed a stronger preference for end-digits zero and five (39.6%-44.1%).
  • Germans and German Swiss showed a higher preference for end-digits two, four, six, and eight (44.4%).
  • Adjusted odds ratios indicated significant differences in end-digit preference based on linguistic and national groups.

Conclusions:

  • End-digit preferences in self-reported height vary significantly by language and nationality.
  • Patterns were consistent across surveys and similar between Swiss and foreign nationals speaking the same language.
  • Accounting for these cultural rounding preferences is crucial for valid cross-cultural comparisons of self-reported data.