Relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and Body Fat Percentage (BFP), in a group of Iranian Elementary Students: A Correlational Study

Body Mass Index (BMI) is employed as a measure of overweight and obesity. This measurement is regardless of gender or age differences. Body Fat Percentage (BFP), on the other hand, measures the percentage of fat composites the body mass. Studies in the past have taken different positions in regards to these two concepts and their relationships. Overweight and overfat are considered to be similar concepts while a person who is overweight is not necessarily overfat. The study intended to investigate the mentioned relationship in school students in Iran. As such, a sample of 58 elementary school students was selected from a school in Tehran, Iran. This quantitative correlational research aimed to study the relationship between BMI and BMP in a group of elementary students of a school in Tehran, Iran. The result of this study is deemed to add to the body of knowledge as there has been little research on elementary students’ body composition in the country of Iran. The result of this study indicated a significant and positive relationship between BMI and BMP in the selected sample.