This study was designed to compare physical fitness, blood lipids, and insulin resistance according to body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat (%BF) in 20s females. Sixty women, aged 20-29 yrs, volunteered to participate in the study as subjects. There were three groups, i.e., normal group (BMI < 24 kg·m-2 and %BF < 25%; n = 25), normal weight obese group (BMI < 24 kg·m-2 and 28% < %BF < 40%; n = 22), and obese group (BMI > 26 kg·m-2 and 30% < %BF < 40%; n = 13). Physical fitness, blood lipid profiles, and surrogate indices of insulin resistance were measured and compared among three groups. Main results of the present study were as follows: 1) There were significant differences in all variables regarding body composition among three groups. All values were lowest in normal group and highest in obese group. 2) There was significant difference in sit-and-reach among three groups, whereas no significant differences were found in other variables regarding physical fitness among three groups. 3) There were significant differences in all variables regarding blood lipids among three groups. In particular, total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), TC/HDL-C ratio, and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were significantly higher in normal weight obese group than normal group. 4) There were significant differences in all variables regarding insulin resistance among three groups. Fasting plasma glucose and HOMA-IR were lowest in normal group and highest in obese group. It was concluded that there would be abnormal blood lipid profiles and insulin resistance in even normal weight obese individuals as well as general obese individuals in 20s females.
