| Research Abstract |
The relationship among the percentage of body fat, the thickness of hypodermic fat, BMI, and the image of self was examined according to the sex using 164 university students. The results showed that the relationship between BMI and the weight excluding the weight of one's fat was significantly higher for men than women; the relationship among the percentage of body fat, the amount of body fat, and the thicknesses of hypodermic fat of nine parts of the body excluding that of the chest was significantly higher for women. Concerning the weight and BMI,.there were significant correlations with the amount of the percentage of body fat, the amount of body fat, weight excluding the weight of one's fat, and the thickness of hypodermic fat respectively for men. The examination of women showed a similar result, and also showed that r^2 between the weight and the percentage of body fat as well as r^2 between BMI and the percentage of body fat were lower for women. When the heavy regression analy
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sis was run with the percentage of body fat as a dependent variable and the height, the weight, BMI, and the thickness of hypodermic fat of 10 parts of the body as independent variables, four variables of the abdomen, the weight, the anterior region of the thigh, and the chest were found significant for men (R^2=.77), whereas only two variables of the humerus dorsal and the lower side of the scapula were found significant for women (R^2=.53). There was a significant difference between men and women concerning the image of one's physical shape: more than 60% of the women subjects in this study considered themselves to be 'fat.' This self-image is most significantly correlated with BMI of all the variables measured in this study for both men and women (r=.83 for men: r=.75 for women). Concerning the figure evaluation scale, 65% of the women subjects responded that the way they look was very important to them, resulting in a significant difference from the data of men (P <.001). Concerning the weight and the amount of muscle, there was also a significant difference between men and women. Concerning 'the comparison with others or friends' and the percentage of body fat, there was a negative significant correlation for men, whereas 'the comparison with others or friends' turned out to have a negative significant correlation with BMI, the percentage of body fat, the amount of body fat, the thickness of hypodermic fat of six upper-body parts. With the male subjects, it was revealed, the height and weight were significantly related to the ideal self whereas they were the taller height and lower weight for the female subjects. A similar result was obtained when their ideal BMI turned out to be 18.6. Concerning the body part where they would like to shed fat, 99% of the female subjects answered in the positive, which corresponded to the response of the male subjects, and both men and women replied that it was mostly the stomach, which indicated no significant difference for men and women. With other body parts including the thigh, the hip, and the arm, the results were significantly higher for women. Concerning one's would-be physical figure, 80% of the female subjects expressed their desire to lose weight, which was significantly higher than the male subjects. Concerning the image of one's physical shape, 60% of the female subjects answered that they were fatter than others. When asked if they considered themselves predisposed not to get fat, 75% of the female subjects answered in the negative, which was significantly higher than the male subjects. Less
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