ABSTRACT
Background: Body image perception is being shaped by unrealistic ideals portrayed in the media. Body dissatisfaction is one of the most consistent and robust risk factors for eating disorders, low self-esteem, depression, and obesity. Therefore, the objective of the current study is to ascertain the body image perception, abnormal eating attitudes and the role of media among undergraduate students of a medical college in Delhi, India.Methods: Cross-sectional study on 370 undergraduate medical students of Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India selected using stratified random sampling. India. Students completed a self-administered questionnaire which consist of demographic information, perceived body image, Eating Attitudes test (EAT-26) to assess eating attitudes, Socio Cultural Attitude Towards Appearance Questionnaire 3(SATAQ-3) scale for the role of media on body image perception. Data was analyzed using SPSS v21.Results: A total of 370 students (57.6% males and 42.4% females) aged 17-30 years, mean age of 20.30 years±2.02(SD). Abnormal body image perception was seen in 35.4%, 21.1% had abnormal eating attitude (EAT-26≥20), 36.5%, 40.5% agreed to be influenced by models and athletic figures in media respectively, 42.2% accepted that media was their source of information regarding standards of attractiveness, 27.6% felt pressured to be attractive according to SATAQ-3. Males more than females had disordered eating attitudes and felt media pressure to achieve an ideal body image. Significant association was observed between age and perceived body image (p=0.033), gender and EAT-26 score (p=0.039), EAT 26 and perceived body image (p=0.006), general internalization of media and perceived body image (p=0.003), internalization-general, internalization-athlete, media as source of information and EAT-26 score (<0.001, 0.001, 0.003 respectively).Conclusions: The media should take more responsibility to not represent unrealistic ideals of body image concerning both males and females. Educational and preventive efforts at institutional levels should be made to promote a healthy body image and eating behaviours.
ABSTRACT
Background: Adolescence is a stressful period due to physical, psychological, sexual changes and the presence of psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and stress at this stage of life is a matter of concern. Depression is a common mental disorder, characterized by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that you normally enjoy, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities, for at least two weeks. The objective of this study is to find the prevalence and associated factors of depression, anxiety and stress among school going adolescents.Methods: This was a school based descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the month of July 2018 in an urban school in New Delhi. A semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire to assess socio-demographic profile as well as depression anxiety stress scale (DASS)–21 was used to assess depression, stress and anxiety.Results: Overall prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress were found to be 47.9%, 65.3%, and 51.8% respectively. Most of student suffered from moderate depression (46.8%), anxiety (33.3%) and mild stress (60.9%). It was noted that these were more common among female students, late adolescent age group, students alone/ away from family, students from separated/ single parents, consuming alcohol and family pressure to perform well in school.Conclusions: The alarming risk of depression, anxiety and stress among students with low academic satisfaction as well as those who face family pressure to perform better calls for need of parents-student counselling sessions, as well as frequent extracurricular activities to help create a healthier school environment.