Kapoor A, Upadhyay MK, Saini NK. Prevalence, patterns, and determinants of body image dissatisfaction among female undergraduate students of University of Delhi.
J Family Med Prim Care 2022;
11:2002-2007. [PMID:
35800482 PMCID:
PMC9254831 DOI:
10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1851_21]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Body image is an essential aspect of young girls' self-definition and individual identity and is influenced by multitude of factors including cultural, social, cognitive, affective, and biological. In recent times, excessive concern about the body image has been reported and the prevalence of body image dissatisfaction (BID) has increased among adolescent and young girls.
Objectives
The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of BID, its pattern and the factors associated with it among female undergraduate students and also to assess the level of concern about their body image.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 female undergraduate students using a contour drawing rating scale and a body shape questionnaire to assess BID and its pattern, and the level of concern about body image, respectively. Binary logistic regression was applied to identify the factors determining body image perception.
Results
The prevalence of body mage dissatisfaction was 76.7% with overweight and obesity, and media influences being significantly associated with it. Nutritional status, mother's educational status, and media influences were the determinants. Body shape concerns were found among 30.6% of the participants out of which 7.3% reported marked to moderate concerns.
Conclusions
Our findings highlighted a higher prevalence of perceived dissatisfaction with the body image and also that it is not simply the outcome of sociocultural pressure to conform to a certain body type but is the result of a complex interaction between individual differences in actual body mass and preference for a thin body ideal.
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