Relationships of body composition, body image, and self-esteem in collegiate fitness staff

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between body composition, perceptions of body image, and levels of self-esteem among Department of Wellness Student Fitness Staff (DOWSFS). Campus wellness centers (CWC) have evolved from gymnasiums to facilities developed to increase the total health and wellbeing of their communities. With that, the health and wellbeing of the students that comprise its staff should be considered as well. This study utilized body mass index (BMI) to measure body composition, Stunkard's Nine Figure Rating Scale (SNFRS) to measure body image, and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) to measure self-esteem. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to assess the strength of association between the respondent's BMI, SNRFS score, RSES score, and employment position. There was no significant correlation found between any hypothesized variables. However, there were significant correlations between gender and self-esteem and year and position. Future research in these areas may prove to be beneficial in improving the health and wellness of CWC student staff.