The body shape preferences of Japanese female students.

A questionnaire was developed and administered to 433 female college students in 1985 and 973 females in 1990 to assess their body shape preferences. Their ideal weights for their current heights as estimated by them were analyzed using the body mass index. Our samples perceived their 'average' BMI at -0.5 s.d. of their mean current BMI. As a consequence they were very strict in setting the fat-borderline and tolerant in the thin-borderline. The perceived 'ideal' BMI was at -0.5 s.d. of their perceived 'average' and at about -1.0 s.d. of their actual average. Their extreme slim-body preference might have its root in the lack of proper understanding of what the 'average' body weight was, which might also be affected by the fact that they set their ideal shape at the level even lower than their misunderstood 'average'. The tendency was striking among those who considered their ideal body shape to be 'thin' and 'very thin'. These findings have not changed in the last five years in Japan. As for the 'contentment' regarding their weight, the most satisfied group changed from the nationally estimated 'thin' group to 'very thin' group in the last five years.