Body image, weight discrepancy and body mass index among university students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AJOL
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between body image, weight discrepancy and body mass
index among female university students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 183 university students
aged 18.7±1.17 years volunteered to participate in the study. Anthropometric variables were
measured according to the protocol of International Society for the Advancement of
Kinanthropometry (ISAK). Body image perception was assessed using silhouette matching
techniques. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the relationships between
body image and weight perceptions in relation to actual physical measurements by means of two
indices: Feel minus Ideal Discrepancy (FID) and FAI (Feel weight status minus actual weight status
inconsistency). One-way ANOVA was computed to test for any substantial differences in the
participants’ dependent measures according to body mass index (BMI) categories. Percentage
distribution of participants’ actual weight categories were 71% (underweight), 18.6% (normal
weight) and 10.4% (overweight). Using the body silhouette chart, the mean value for the
participants’ feel and ideal figures were 3.6 and 2.2, while their FID and FAI scores were 1.4 and
0.55, respectively. Results of the regression analysis indicated that every unit increase in Feel
figure yielded a highly significant increase in BMI by 1.4 kg/m2
. By contrast, a unit increase in the
Ideal figure resulted in a non-significant decrease in BMI by -0.19 kg/m2
. The relationship between
the actual body weight and body image discrepancy among Riyadh university students has practical
implications for their health.
Description
Keywords
Body image perception, Body mass index, Women, University, Saudi Arabia
Citation
Toriola, O. O., & Onagbiye, S. O. (2020). Body image, weight discrepancy and body mass index among university students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. African Journal for Physical Activity and Health Sciences ,26(4), 438-447