The association between young adults’ body image and indices of obesity

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association between body image and multiple indices of obesity in a sample of 130 young adults (59 males and 71 females, Mean age ± S.D. = 21.5 ± 4.7 years). Methods: Participants completed the Multidimensional Body Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scales (MBSRQ-AS) prior to assessment of obesity indices. Body height and mass were assessed from which BMI was determined as were waist and hip circumference from which waist circumference and waist to hip ratio were used as indices of obesity. Per cent body fatness was also assessed using leg-to-leg bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results: Backwards linear regression indicated that per cent body fatness alone provided the best predictive model of the appearance evaluation (P=0.0001), body areas satisfaction (P=0.0001), appearance orientation (P=0.001) and overweight preoccupation (P=0.009) subscales of the MBSRQ.Waist circumference, BMI and waist to hip ratio did not significantly contribute to the prediction models for scores on any of the subscales of the MBSRQ. Per cent body fatness was more strongly related to all of the subscales of the MBSRQ than the other indices of obesity assessed in this study. Conclusions: Results of the present study therefore suggest that per cent body fatness is a better predictor of body image in young adults compared to alternative indices of obesity commonly used in body image research. Researchers should therefore seek also to use measures of per cent body fatness when examining body image in young adults.