An Investigation of Self-body Images among Students in Japan : The Inconsistency between Objective Somatotypes and Self-body Images in the Survey of Lifestyles

This study analyzed the relationship between objective somatotypes, self-body images and lifestyles among elementary students, lower secondary students and upper secondary students in Japan. It is suggested that the level of inconsistency between objective somatotype and self-body image is strongly linked with their lifestyles. The traits which were suggested to be connected to overestimating their self-body images are : ①no exercise habits, ②small quantity of evening meals, ③no late-night snack ④small amount of sleep, and ⑤lengthy TV watching. In contrast, the features of lifestyles which underestimated their self-images are : ①no exercise habits, ②eating their full for evening meals, ③habitual late-night snacks, and ④large amount of sleep. It was suggested that the participants who had no-conflict between their objective somatotypes and self-body images had desirable lifestyles compared with those in other groups