Comparison of the body mass index (BMI) in physical education students, established by anthropometric, self-report and figure test techniques

The purpose of the study was to compare the BMI according to different measurement techniques and to analyze differences between age and sex of Physical Education students. Type of descriptive research with a non-experimental cross-sectional research design. 107 students from Catamarca (Argentina) participated, 67 men (62.6%) and 40 women (37.4%) between 21 and 40 years old. Body weight (self-reported and real) will be reduced, to estimate the BMI the formula will be improved: models weight (kg) / height (m2) and to determine the perception by figures, the 7 anatomical sheet of Montero will be taken. The real BMI of 24.59 kg/m2 was established, self-reported BMI of 24.25 kg/m2 and a perceived BMI by figure of 24.06 kg/m2, 88.8% of the students are of normal weight. . The results determined significant differences of p<.001 in all the study variables between men and women. In the sample in general, significant differences were found between the real and self-informed height (p<.001) and between the real BMI with self-reported and with that perceived by figures (p<.05). The men turned out to be more effective in the perception of the figure and the women in the self-report with respect to the real BMI. Positive and significant correlations are presented between the real and self-perceived measurements in each of the variables, highlighting the real BMI with the self-reported BMI (r =915) and with the BMI perceived by figures (r =629) with significance. (p< .001). It is concluded that the BMI established by the techniques of self-report and perception by figures, underestimate the BMI measured by anthropometry, being the self-report technique the most effective of them, obtaining a high connection with the real BMI and with a high predictive value of estimation of the same.