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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 9, No. 5
Publication Date: May 25, 2022
DOI:10.14738/assrj.95.12422. Peña, Y. O., Luna, M. C. M. O., Angulo, E. M. R., Pech, G. A., Rodríguez, R. O., Puc, L. C., & Grajales, A. C. L. (2022). Comparison of
the Body Mass Index (BMI) and the Perception of Body Image in Adolescents from a Conurbation Municipality of Yucatán. Advances
in Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(5). 275-280.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Comparison of the Body Mass Index (BMI) and the Perception of
Body Image in Adolescents from a Conurbation Municipality of
Yucatán
Dra.Yolanda Oliva Peña
Profesor Investigador del Centro de Investigaciones
Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de
Yucatán, Av.Itzáez x 59 S/N, Col. Centro, Mérida, Yucatán, México
ORCID: 0000-0002-2396-8722
M. en C. Manuel Ordóñez Luna
Profesor Investigador del Centro de Investigaciones
Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán
ORCID: 0000-0002-4496-4296
Dra. Elsa María Rodríguez Angulo
Profesor Investigador del Centro de Investigaciones
Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán
ORCID: 0000-0001-5959-1341
Dra. Guadalupe Andueza Pech
Profesor Investigador del Centro de Investigaciones
Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán
ORCID: 0000-0002-3083-0529
Lic. Ricardo Ojeda Rodríguez
Técnico Académico del Centro de Investigaciones Regionales
Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán
ORCID: 0000-0002-2556-5847
LCC. Luis Cambranes Puc
Técnico Académico del Centro de Investigaciones
Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán
ORCID: 0000-0003-4124-5197
Dr. Angel Cirilo Lendechy Grajales
Profesor Investigador del Centro de Investigaciones
Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de
Yucatán, Av.Itzáez x 59 S/N, Col. Centro, Mérida, Yucatán, México
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7373-365X
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 5, May-2022
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
ABSTRACT
Adolescence is a time of important changes at all levels, and a vital stage for health
prevention. The objective of the work is to analyze the concordance between the
BMI and the perception of body image in students of a suburban community.
Materials and methods. Quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study carried
out on 120 students, 52.5% men and 47.5% women, aged between 12 and 16 years,
from a suburban town in the City of Mérida. Self-administered questionnaire with
the Stunkard pictogram, to record the perception of body image. To calculate the
body mass index (BMI), anthropometric measurements of weight and height were
recorded, updated at the school. Results. The findings, regarding the perception of
body image, showed a non-significant discrepancy (k= -.007, p= .876); in women it
was insignificant and not significant (k= .051, p= .434); As for men, non-significant
discrepancy was observed (k= -.056, p= .332). Conclusions. When performing the
Kappa analysis in a general way, no significant agreement was found in the sample.
When analyzing by sex, only insignificant (poor) concordance and no statistical
significance were found in women.
Keywords: Índice de masa corporal, Imagen corporal, Adolescencia, Yucatán.
INTRODUCTION
Adolescence is the part of the life cycle that corresponds to the transition from childhood to
adulthood. For the WHO, this stage includes 10 years and up to 19 years. Adjustment stage that
causes some uncertainty, which influences the way of feeling, thinking, self-esteem and also in
learning for decision-making and relationships with others. their family, school and social
environment (WHO 2022) [1].
Adolescent health becomes important for prevention, through strategies of comprehensive
education, self-care so that the transition to adult life is carried out in the best conditions and
care habits are strengthened. In terms of physical health and emotional well-being, eating and
physical exercise play an important role in maintaining a healthy body and body image and
giving them self-esteem in this changing stage.
Body image is associated with the risks of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and
bulimia, health problems present in adolescents and can lead to physical, psychological and
social problems (Castejón-Martínez et al 2016) [2].
Body image is a mental representation that may or may not correspond to the real physical
appearance, being important the attitudes and evaluations that the person develops of his body.
Thus, body image comprises various dimensions: perceptual (perception of the body in its
entirety or in part); cognitive (assessments regarding the total or partial body); affective
(includes feelings, total or partial attitudes towards the body) and behavioral (refers to actions
or behaviors based on the assessment or perception of the body) (Vaquero-Cristóbal et al 2013
[3]; Serna de Pedro, 2004 [ 4]).
The 2018 National Health and Nutrition Survey reported that, in the group of adolescents, the
main risky eating behaviors were: concern about gaining weight, eating too much and losing
control over what is eaten. In men (12.6%), in women (12.4%) (Shamah-Levy et al 2020) [5].
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Peña, Y. O., Luna, M. C. M. O., Angulo, E. M. R., Pech, G. A., Rodríguez, R. O., Puc, L. C., & Grajales, A. C. L. (2022). Comparison of the Body Mass
Index (BMI) and the Perception of Body Image in Adolescents from a Conurbation Municipality of Yucatán. Advances in Social Sciences Research
Journal, 9(5). 275-280.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.95.12422
Sámano et al (2015) [6] in their study of adolescent and adult population found that in 50% of
the participants there was concordance between the self-perceived CI and the real BMI
(Sámano, R; Rodríguez-Ventura A.L 2015) [ 6].
On the other hand, Pérez et al. (2020) [7], when studying two secondary schools in Yucatán,
found that students from both municipalities who registered excess weight underestimated
their BMI with ignorance as a health problem (Pérez-Izquierdo et al 2020) [7].
The objective of the study was to determine the concordance between BMI and the perception
of body image in adolescents from a suburban population of the City of Mérida, with rapid
population growth and high social marginalization.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study with a universe of 120 high school students,
an amount that corresponds to the total number of students who met the criteria of being
enrolled in the 2018-2019 cycle of a suburban community in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico and
would meet the requirements such as having an updated record of weight and height and the
informed consent of parents and students.
The community was selected for being highly marginalized and being in a conurbation area. A
self-administered questionnaire was applied to the students, with prior informed consent from
the tutors, to collect general information and about the perception of body image with the
Stunkard pictogram. Body image perception (BIP) was obtained by asking the participant to
select the figure with which they currently perceive themselves, from among nine different
numbered body figures for men and women. The selected silhouette was rated as follows: 1: as
low weight; from 2 to 5: normal; from 6 to 7: overweight and from 8 to 9: obesity. For analysis
purposes, BMI was categorized into four categories: underweight, normal, overweight, and
obesity. The cut-off points were those established by the World Health Organization.
To calculate the degree of concordance between the categorized BMI and the perception of
body image, the Kappa Coefficient was calculated. The assessment of the kappa coefficient was
analyzed based on the criteria of Landis and Koch (1977) [8]. To carry out the statistical
processing of the information, the SPSS version 23 program was used.
RESULTS
120 high school students were studied. 52.5% were men and 47.5% women, aged between 12
and 16 years. At the time of the survey, 32.5% were between 12 and 13 years old, 65% between
14 and 15, and lastly, 2.5% were 16. The minimum height was 1.1m. and the maximum of
1.85m. with an average of 1.54 m; Regarding weight, the average was 53.6 kilos, with a
minimum of 23 kilos and a maximum of 84 kilos. When categorizing the calculated BMI, 8% of
the sample were underweight, 44% normal weight, followed by 30% overweight and 18%
obese. In contrast, when analyzing the perception of body image, it was found that 44% of the
sample perceived themselves as underweight, 45% as normal weight, followed by 10% as
overweight and 1% as obese. In general, the young people studied underestimate overweight
and obesity and overestimate underweight. (Table 1)
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 5, May-2022
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Table 1: Mass index and body image perception of a sample of high school students from a
suburban community of Mérida, Yucatán
Body image
perception
BMI
Under
weight Normal OverweightObesity Total
Kappa
value
P value
Under weight 8 30 14 1 53 (44%) -.007 .876
Normal 1 21 19 13 54 (45%)
Overweight 0 2 2 8 12 (10%)
Obesity 0 0 1 0 1 (1%)
Total Total 53 (44%) 36 (30%) 22 (18%) 120
When performing the Kappa analysis in a general way, no significant agreement was found in
the sample. Analyzing by sex, it was observed that, according to the BMI calculated in men, 5%
of the sample were underweight, 43% normal weight, followed by 28% overweight and 24%
obese. However, according to their perception, 44% are underweight, 38% are normal weight,
16% are overweight, and 2% are obese. With regard to women, according to the calculated BMI,
10% were underweight, 46% normal weight, 32% overweight and 12% obese, while 44% of
them perceived themselves as underweight, 53% saw themselves as normal weight, 3%
overweight and none obese. Concordance analysis found negligible (poor) concordance and no
statistical significance in women. (Tables 2 and 3)
Table 2: Comparison of BMI with Perception of Body Image in male high school students from a
suburban community in Mérida, Yucatán
Body image
perception
BMI
Under
weight
Normal Overweigh
t
Obesity Total Kappa
value
P value
Under weight 2 17 8 1 28
(44%)
-.056 .332
Normal 1 9 8 6 24
(38%)
Overweight 0 1 1 8 10
(16%)
Obesity 0 0 1 0 1 (2%)
Total 3 (5%) 27
(43%) 18 (28%) 15 (24%) 63