• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.435-442
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate misconception for physique and desire for physique of college women in Taegu(412 subjects) and Fukuoka(423 subjects). The data was collected by questionnaire interview and anthropometric measurement. The results were as follows : The mean age, height, weight, and BMI of Taegu subjects were $19.9{\pm}1.2$ years old, $159.6{\pm}4.9cm,\;51.2{\pm}6.0kg\;and\;20.1{\pm}2.2$, respectively. The mean age, height , weight, and BMI of Fukuoka subjects were $18.3{\pm}0.6$ year old, $157.5{\pm}5.0cm,\;53.3{\pm}6.9kg\;and\;21.5{\pm}2.5$, respectively. The average ideal height desired by subjects in Taegu was higher than their real mean height by 5.1cm ; while the average ideal weight desired by subjects was lower than real mean weight by 2.6kg. The average ideal height desired by subjects in Fukuoka was higher than their real mean height by 3.2cm ; while the average ideal weight desired by subjects was lower than real mean weight by 5.4kg. The percentage of Taegu subjects who desired to be slender, be fatty and maintain weight were 70.1%, 7.3%, and 22.6% respectively. The percentage of Fukuoka subjects who desired to be slender, be fatty and maintain weight were 85.3%,2.6% and 12.1% respectively. The rate of misconception for the actual physique was 56.5% in Taegu subjects, and 57.2% In fukuoka subjects. The over estimation rate was higher in subjects desired for slenderness than in others. The adolescent females having a fatty body image in self-consciousness indicated that they felt high social physique anxiousness. Finally, the rate of misconception and the degree of social physique anxiousness were higher in those who had a desire for slenderness.