Objective: To determine the construct validity and utility of the Body Mass Index Silhouette Matching Test (BMI-SMT).
Methods: One-hundred-seventy undergraduate students at a mid-Atlantic university completed the BMI-SMT, the Gardner 2-figure Silhouette Matching Test and were measured for height and weight.
Results: Validity coefficients using Pearson r correlations ranged from 0.69 to 0.84 for comparisons between BMI values for the BMI-SMT, and the GSMT and actual BMI measures. Coefficients for weight values produced r-values ranging from 0.59 to 0.84. Analysis of the BMI-SMT ability to accurately assess weight classification indicated a tendency toward overestimation.
Conclusion: The BMI-SMT is a valid measure of body image perceptions and estimates of weight and BMI.