Reliability of percentage ideal weight for height

AIMS—To assess the reliability of percentage ideal weight for height (%WFH) as a measure in children. METHODS—Forty two dietitians calculated %WFH of six children. Eleven of the 42 repeated the calculations. RESULTS—Interexaminer estimates varied by 16.5 to 40 percentage points (mean 27.8). Intraexaminer variability was also large. CONCLUSIONS—%WFH is an unreliable measure of nutritional status.