Social Physique Anxiety (SPA) has been identified as the anxiety individuals experience in response to others’ evaluation of their physique (Hart, Leary, & Rejeski, 1989). Most recently, Petrie, Diehl, Rogers and Johnson (1996) have found that the Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS) to be a useful and valid tool in measuring social physique anxiety. Although distinctly different, SPA is related to the concept of body image. Researchers have found gender differences in body image and/or SPA scores (Frederick & Morrison, 1996; Abell & Richards, 1996; Muth & Cash, 1997). The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in Social Physique Anxiety and perceived fitness level between male and female students and to see what type of relationship exists between SPA and perceived fitness. The sample consisted of 315 (217 females and 98 males) students (average age=20.13, SD=2.324) enrolled in college level physical education classes at a southern university. Mean scores for social physique anxiety and perceived fitness for each gender were compared using analysis of variance. To assess SPA and perceived fitness, subjects completed the Social Physique Anxiety Scale for SPA and a 5-stem Likert-type item to assess perceived fitness. The analysis yielded significant differences in males and females on SPA (<.0001) and perceived fitness (<.0001). Men perceived their fitness levels to be higher (Men=3.532/SD=.767, women=3.204/SD=.669) and women had higher anxiety (Women=37.366/SD=10.479, men=29.374/SD=9.738). The correlation matrix for perceived fitness and SPA split by gender revealed a correlation coefficient of -.464 for women and -.351 for men and -.430 for the entire group of participants. The results of the study indicate that women tend to have more anxiety about how others perceive their physique than men and they tend to have lower levels of perceived fitness. Interestingly an inverse relationship exists, as demonstrated by the coefficient correlations, between perceived fitness and SPA in both women and men individually and collectively, suggesting a weak relationship between both variables. Lower SPA scores in women suggest the need for health education programs to address body image in female populations and that improving perceived fitness, though it has an inverse relationship to SPA, may not be the best means to decrease body image anxiety in women. Future research should study older populations to see if these same results are found throughout the lifespan. Keyword(s): health promotion, research