Introduction:

One of the factors that conditions body weight is the perception of body image. In university students, eating fast food can generate disorders in the self-perception of body image, such as underestimation or overestimation of nutritional status, leading to disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and suicide attempts.

Objective:

To compare the self-perception of body image, body dissatisfaction, body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body fat between women and men from the Chilean Adventist University.

Material and methods:

A comparative descriptive study of cross-sectional design applied to 150 regular students of the Adventist University of Chile, Chillán (UnACh). Anthropometric evaluations (BMI and skinfolds), application of the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), and the Montero Anatomical Model Test (MAM) were performed.

Results:

Among the main findings, there were differences between men and women both in the BSQ and in the fat percentage, but not in the MAM and in the BMI, where no significant differences were found.

Conclusions:

The women evaluated have higher body dissatisfaction and fat percentage than university men; however, both men and women have body self-perception that adjusts to their BMI, with no significant differences between the sexes.