Body size dissatisfaction among young adults from the 1982 Pelotas birth cohort

Abstract

Background/Objectives:To identify the prevalence and factors associated with body dissatisfaction.Subjects/Methods:Birth cohort study investigating 4100 subjects (2187 men and 1913 women) aged between 22 and 23 years who answered questionnaires, including the body satisfaction Stunkard Scale were included in the study; they were weighed and measured. Multinomial logistic regression was used in the crude and adjusted analyses.Results:The prevalence of body dissatisfaction was 64% (95% CI, 62.7–65.6); 42% (95% CI, 40.6–43.6) of the subjects reported feeling larger than the desired body size, and 22% (95% CI, 20.7–23.3) reported feeling smaller than desired. Underweight subjects, subjects with less schooling, poor and sedentary male subjects with low psychological well-being and female subjects who were already mothers were more likely to express body dissatisfaction, perceiving their body as smaller than the desirable body size. The prevalence of body dissatisfaction was also high among overweight subjects, subjects with a high socioeconomic status and married female subjects, who perceived their body size as too large. Minor psychiatric disorders were associated with body dissatisfaction in all subjects, regardless of perceiving themselves as larger or smaller than the desired body size. Most women perceived themselves as larger, but similar proportions of men perceived themselves as too small or too large.Conclusions:Body dissatisfaction was observed among men and women with normal weight, but it was more evident in the obese individuals. Regardless of the nutritional status, both men and women should be appropriately counseled because body size perception can lead to unhealthy behaviors in relation to diet and physical activity.

Blood pressure and body size preference in traditional communities of Ilorin metropolis, Nigeria

“…Nevertheless, the data also show that large body sizes may be a valuable social asset in these communities as reported widely [10][11][12][13][14][15][16] in many black groups of diverse geographic locations and ethnicity. More recent studies [25,54] overseas, however, suggest that in some black groups, up to 80% of participants may prefer thinner body figures.…”

“…Furthermore, body size is often tied to the notion of beauty, and body figure preference can vary with community to the extent that what is considered desirable in one group may be viewed differently in another [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Specifically, how individuals perceive their body size in relation to the preferred body figure in their group can affect self-esteem and influence weight-control behaviour [10,14].…”

Evaluation of systemic conditions, tooth loss, body image, and quality of life of women with obesity and women who underwent gastric bypass surgery

“…Some studies have shown that the degree of dissatisfaction with body image was higher in higher income women, 22,23 while another finding showed the opposite 24 . In this study, there was no difference between the groups regarding socioeconomic status possibly due to the eligibility criteria adopted to make the sample paired and without risk of bias for the study.…”

Body size ideals, beliefs and dissatisfaction in Ghanaian adolescents: sociodemographic determinants and intercorrelations

“…1 An overweight prevalence of 11.7% has been reported in Ghanaian adolescents. 2 Further, one's awareness of being overweight is an essential factor for successful weight management.…”

“…10,11 Existing literature in both Western and African countries reports contrasting relationships between these determinants depending on the context. 10,12e15 As such, understanding these determinants and their intercorrelations within the adolescent Ghanaian population will inform the formulation of socioculturally friendly policies and interventions to combat the rise in obesity and its associated chronic diseases.…”