Body Weight and Body Image among a Sample of Female and Male South African University Students

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess body weight and body image among South African male and female university students. Participants (N=289), 189 women and 100 men, were systematically chosen from non-health sciences courses in a class setting. The Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) comprising of 10 subscales was administered and anthropometric measurements (weight and height) were taken. Results indicate that almost one-third (30.5%) of the women and 8.7% of the men were overweight or obese, and 15.2% of the men and 9.6% of the women were underweight, 3.4% of the women and none of the men were obese. A large proportion of the males and of the females had misconceptions about their body weight. Multivariable linear regression identified for women self-classified overweight, negative appearance orientation, positive health evaluation, positive illness orientation and overweight preoccupation as independent predictors for Body Mass Index (BMI), and for men self-classified overweight and overweight preoccupation as independent predictors for BMI. Body image perceptions are important in the management of weight control.