【Objectives】Most Japanese and Korean young women desire to be slender. They start to dislike their body type during adolescence and begin to desire a slender body type similar to that of a professional fashion model. The aim of this study was to clarify similarities and differences between Japanese and Korean female university students in relation to height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and ideal BMI (IBMI), and age at menarche.
【Methods】A questionnaire survey was conducted on 909 female university students (Japanese:448, Korean:461). The questionnaires were composed of the following items: age in years; height (H); weight (W); ideal weight (IW); and age at menarche (AM). BMI and IBMI were also calculated. The t-test and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were used to compare means between Japanese and Korean students.
【Results】Results of the t-test showed significant differences between Japanese and Korean female university students in H, W, IW, BMI and IBMI. However, results of ANCOVA using AM as a covariable revealed differences only in W, IW and BMI. In formulas based on ANCOVA, IW was associated with BMI among Japanese students; however, the weak association was found among Korean students. Among both Japanese and Korean students, earlier AM was associated with higher W and BMI. No relationship was found between IBMI and AM among Korean students; however, relationships between earlier AM and higher IBMI and between later AM and lower IBMI were found among Japanese students.
【Conclusion】Although Korean female students had lower BMI than Japanese students, Koreans had higher height and weight than Japanese. Furthermore, although BMI among both Japanese and Korean students were within a normal range, a desire for slenderness was still apparent, particularly among Koreans. The later AM was relating to low BMI in both countries. The desire for slenderness seen among younger generations will lead to delays in sexual maturity. Therefore, the importance of proper body image among females must be recognized from young age.
