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Body dissatisfaction among undergraduate medical students in the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil

ABSTRACT

Objective

To assess the level of body dissatisfaction among undergraduate medical students in the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Methods

A cross-sectional study with 232 volunteers of both sexes at a private college. The Body Shape Questionnaire was used, which is a tool based on the sum of values that allow classifying body dissatisfaction according to the following scores: less than 111, if absence of body dissatisfaction; between 111 and 138, if mild body dissatisfaction; between 139 and 167, if moderate body dissatisfaction, and from 168, if severe body dissatisfaction. In addition, the self-reported body mass index and an assertion were used to assess the degree and perception (insight) of body dissatisfaction. For the statistical analysis, descriptive comparison, and binary logistic regression tests were performed.

Results

The mean result of the Body Shape Questionnaire among women was 96.0±34.1 and among men, 76.7±24.7, with 26.3% of students with some level of dissatisfaction with self-image. Most participants (76.3%) wished to have a body mass index lower than the real one. Women (odds ratio of 5.7), overweight individuals (odds ratio of 6.1), and individuals with insight into their condition (odds ratio of 89.7) were more likely to be dissatisfied with the body image measured by the Body Shape Questionnaire.

Conclusion

The search for a thin body among undergraduate medical students is a reality. In addition to overweight individuals, the female population has a significant level of body distortion, being recognized as the highest rate of body dissatisfaction in the sample surveyed.

Body image; Nutritional status; Students, medical; Feeding and eating disorders; Mental health

INTRODUCTION

Throughout history, the standards of beauty have changed according to the culture and the dictates of the wealthier social classes. Until the 18th century, the most voluminous body was considered the most beautiful, since it represented all the wealth of the noble population, and, comparatively, the thin body was common to the poorest brackets of society. Along the middle of the same century, this model gradually underwent changes, based on European standards, which started to consider the thin body as the ideal to be achieved.(11. Freitas CM, Lima RB, Costa AS, Lucena Filho A.O padrão de beleza corporal sobre o corpo feminino mediante o IMC. Rev Bras. Educ Fís Esp. 2010; 24(3):389-404.

2. Barros DD. Imagem corporal: a descoberta de si mesmo. Hist Cien Saude- Manguinhos. 2005;12(2):547-54.

3. Wolf N. O mito da beleza: como as imagens de beleza são usadas contra as mulheres. Rio de Janeiro: Rocco; 1992. p. 433.
-44. Alves D, Pinto M, Alves S, Mota A, Leirós V. Cultura e imagem corporal.Motricidade. 2009;5:1-20.)

With this new paradigm of the cult of thinness, everything that does not satisfy it is considered inadequate and unhealthy.(11. Freitas CM, Lima RB, Costa AS, Lucena Filho A.O padrão de beleza corporal sobre o corpo feminino mediante o IMC. Rev Bras. Educ Fís Esp. 2010; 24(3):389-404.)Although the metabolic problems that obesity can cause are well known, there is a notable stigmatization of the individual with a body that escapes the thin stereotype, inducing them to seek ways to reach this standard, considered ideal - even if, to do so, it is necessary to put mental and organic health at risk, with adherence to restrictive and low calorie diets, abuse of anorexic drugs and purgative acts, among other risky behaviors.(55. Fichter MM, Quadflieg N, Hedlund S. Twelve-year course and outcome predictors of anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord. 2006;39(2):87-100.

6. Souza AC, Alvarenga MS. Insatisfação com a imagem corporal em estudantes universitários – uma revisão integrativa. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2016;65(3):286-99. Review.
-77. Claumann GS, Pereira EF, Inácio S, Santos MC, Martins AC, Pelegrini A. Satisfação com a imagem corporal em acadêmicos ingressantes em cursos de educação física. Rev Educ Fis UEM. 2014;25(4):575-83.)

Moreover, apparently, the search for a standardized body does not affect all individuals equally. The young female population seems to suffer more, since the dissemination of this content by the media and culture tends to target this audience. Some studies show that women have a much higher degree of distortion in perception of body self-image than men, and are more affected by eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia.(55. Fichter MM, Quadflieg N, Hedlund S. Twelve-year course and outcome predictors of anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord. 2006;39(2):87-100.

6. Souza AC, Alvarenga MS. Insatisfação com a imagem corporal em estudantes universitários – uma revisão integrativa. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2016;65(3):286-99. Review.

7. Claumann GS, Pereira EF, Inácio S, Santos MC, Martins AC, Pelegrini A. Satisfação com a imagem corporal em acadêmicos ingressantes em cursos de educação física. Rev Educ Fis UEM. 2014;25(4):575-83.

8. Stice E, Marti CN, Rohde P. Prevalence, incidence, impairment, and course of the proposed DSM-5 eating disorder diagnoses in an 8-year prospective community study of young women. J Abnorm Psychol. 2013;122(2):445-57.

9. Uzunian LG, Vitalle MS. Social skills: a factor of protection against eating disorders in adolescents. Cien Saude Colet. 2015;20(11):3495-508. Review.
-1010. Garner DM, Olmsted MP, Bohr Y, Garfinkel PE. The eating attitudes test: psychometric features and clinical correlates. Pyscol Med.1982;12(4):871-8.)What is surprising is that some evidence, although scarce, suggests the population of health sciences students is even more affected by these phenomena.(1111. Vitolo MR, Bortolini GA, Horta RL. Prevalência de compulsão alimentar entre universitárias de diferentes áreas de estudo. Rev Psiquiatr RS. 2006;28(1):20-6.,1212. Laus MF, Moreira RC, Costa TM. Diferenças na percepção da imagem corporal, no comportamento alimentar e no estado nutricional de universitárias das áreas de saúde e humanas. Rev Psiquiatr RS. 2009;31(3):192-6.)

OBJECTIVE

To assess the level of body dissatisfaction among undergraduate medical students in the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

METHODS

Sample selection

For the sample size, the number of individuals enrolled in the medical course in the research period (n=759) was taken into consideration, with prevalence of the unknown problem (50%) and 95% confidence interval, with absolute precision of 7 points more or less, obtaining a minimum sample of 156 undergraduate students - already corrected for finite samples.(1313. Szwarcwald CL, Damacena GN. Amostras complexas em inquéritos populacionais: planejamento e implicações na análise estatística dos dados. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2008;11(Suppl 1):38-45.) Based on this value, the necessary population of men and women was found, based on the proportionality of individuals enrolled in the course (33.8% were men, and 66.2% were women). At the end of data collection, the study had more students than the minimum expected, totaling 56 men, and 176 women.

To participate in the sample, it was necessary to be enrolled between the first and the 12th period of the medical course and be over 18 years old.

Instruments and procedures

Body Shape Questionnaire

The translated Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), adapted and validated for a population of Brazilian undergraduate students, is a questionnaire with 34 self-completed items, designed to measure the concern with body shape and weight in the last 4 weeks. Each question has six answer options, ranging from one (never) to six (always). At the end, the values found are summed up, and a score is obtained that reflects the degree of body dissatisfaction. Values lower than 111 indicate absence of dissatisfaction; between 111 and 138, mild dissatisfaction; between 139 and 167, moderate dissatisfaction, and values over 168 reveal severe dissatisfaction with one’s body.(1414. Di Pietro M, Silveira DX. Internal validity, dimensionality, and performance of the Body Shape Questionnaire in a group of Brazilian college students. Braz J Psychiatry. 2009;31(1):21-4.)

Body mass index

Another tool used to evaluate the degree of body dissatisfaction was the body mass index (BMI). First, the volunteers referred their weight and height and, later, they indicated the weight and height they wished to present at the time of the study. The World Health Organization (WHO) classification was used to define the nutritional status based on the BMI, calculated with the two variables acquired. Thus, values below 18.5 indicated thinness; between 18.5 and 24.9, normal weight; between 25 and 29.9, overweight, and BMI over 30 indicated obesity.(1515. World Health Organization (WHO). Child growth standards. Physical status: the use and interpretation of anthropometry. Report of a WHO Expert Committee. Geneva: WHO; 1995 [Technical Report Series No. 854] [cited 2021 Aug 20]. Available from: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/37003/WHO_TRS_854.pdf;jsessionid
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handl...
) Thus, the analysis of this variable was performed assuming that actual BMI equal to desired BMI reflects absence of body dissatisfaction. Actual BMI higher than the desired BMI reflects body dissatisfaction with desire to decrease body volume; actual BMI lower than desired BMI also reflects body dissatisfaction, but with desire to increase body volume. The literature points out that when it is impossible to measure weight and height, or in population studies in which it is necessary to reduce costs, or even speed up the processes, self-reported data present a great correlation with reality.(1616. Schmidt MI, Duncan BB, Tavares M, Polanczyk CA, Pellanda L, Zimmer PM. Validity of self-reported weight -- a study of urban Brazilian adults. Rev Saude Publica. 1993;27(4):271-6.

17. Silveira EA, Araújo CL, Gigante DP, Barros AJ, Lima MS. Validação do peso e altura referidos para o diagnóstico do estado nutricional em uma população de adultos no Sul do Brasil. Cad Saude Publica. 2005;21(1):235-45.
-1818. Coqueiro RS, Petroski EL, Pelegrini A, Barbosa AR. Insatisfação com a imagem corporal: avaliação comparativa da associação com estado nutricional em universitários. Rev Psiquiatr RS. 2008;30(1):31-8.)

Insight on body dissatisfaction

At the end of the questionnaire, the following assertion was added: “Have you been dissatisfied with your body in the last 4 weeks?”. This question, formulated by the authors of this study, aimed to analyze the perception (insight) of the volunteers regarding the level of body dissatisfaction, as assessed by the BSQ. The answer options were the same as in the BSQ: never, rarely, sometimes, frequently, very frequently, and always. To interpret this variable, we chose to dichotomize it, with “never,” “rarely,” and “sometimes” being related to the absence of body dissatisfaction, and “frequently”, “very frequently”, and “always” being considered as the presence of body dissatisfaction.

Microsoft forms

All content was completed online through the Microsoft Forms platform contained in the Office 365® package. The questionnaire was e-mailed to all students enrolled in the medical school. To access it, the volunteer had to be linked to a personal Microsoft institutional account, to avoid duplicate answers and information from populations other than the one selected to compose the scope of the study.

Statistical analysis

For data organization and statistical analysis, the software IBM (SPSS), version 20, was used, with a significance level of 5% (α=0.05) for all tests. Initially, the descriptive evaluation of all quantitative data as minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation (SD) was performed, in addition to simple and relative frequencies.

To perform the statistical tests, the qualitative variables were considered instead of their numerical counterparts. Thus, non-parametric tests were used to analyze the data.

The relation between the BSQ results and sex was evaluated using Pearson’s χ2 test. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to relate the BSQ to the course periods and the participants’ actual BMI. This same test was used to verify the relation between the actual BMI and the desired BMI of each study volunteer.

Finally, a binary logistic regression was performed to predict the odds of an individual’s body dissatisfaction (measured by the BSQ) as a function of nutritional status, sex, and the answer to the question about insight into body condition, added at the end of the questionnaire by the authors of this study.

To meet the requirements of the χ2 test, the BSQ was divided into two categories: satisfied (scores below 111) and dissatisfied (scores above 110). In addition to the dichotomization of the BSQ, to perform the binary logistic regression, it was necessary to group the nutritional status results into thinness-normal weight (BMI <25) and overweight-obesity (BMI ≥25).

The course periods were grouped into three cycles: from the 1st to the 4th (basic cycle), from the 5th to the 8th (clinical cycle), and from the 9th to the 12th period (internship), to enable the evaluation of this variable by the Kruskal-Wallis test.

Ethical aspects

This study has an observational, cross-sectional, and individualized design, and was conducted in the city of Juiz de Fora, between June and September 2020, according to resolution 466/12, of the National Health Council, after approval by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculdade de Ciências Médicas e da Saúde de Juiz de Fora, under # 3.958.312 and CAAE: 30257020.6.0000.5103.

RESULTS

This study had 232 volunteers, with age ranging from 18 to 44 years, a mean±SD of 22.4±3.3 years for females, and 23.6±5.2 years for males. Of all volunteers, 93 (40.1%) were in the basic cycle, 106 (45.7%) in the clinical cycle, and 33 (14.2%) in internship.

The BSQ score ranged from 39 to 181; the mean score for women was 96.0±34.1, while for men it was 76.7±24.7. Of the 232 participants, 171 (73.7%) had no body distortion, and 61 (26.3%) had some level of dissatisfaction with self-image.

Of the dissatisfied, 54 were women (30.7%), and seven were men (12.5%), so there was a significant difference between the BSQ results and the sex of participants (p=0.007). In the comparison between the BSQ results and the course cycles, no significant difference was found, as shown on table 1. The mean actual BMI was 22.3±3.0kg/m2 for women and 24.9±3.5kg/m2 for men. The mean desired BMI was 20.3±1.9kg/m2and 23.1±2.6kg/m2 for women and men, respectively (Figure 1). Hence, there was a significant difference between actual and desired BMI (p<0.001), with a trend to have lower values (Table 2).

Table 1
Comparison of Body Shape Questionnaire results with sex, body mass index, and course cycle in a sample of medical students

Figure 1
Comparison between actual and desired body mass index by undergraduate medical students in the city of Juiz de Fora

Table 2
Relation between the actual body mass index and the desired body mass index of undergraduate medical students

Only 22 (9.5%) individuals were satisfied with their BMI. Of the 210 dissatisfied, 33 (14.2%) showed a desire to gain kg/m2, while the other 177 (76.3%) individuals expressed a desire to lose BMI points. The mean difference between desired BMI and actual BMI was -2.0±2.5 kg/m2.

When analyzing the BSQ results in relation to the nutritional status of the participants, a significant difference was found (p=0.002). It was noted that individuals classified as overweight were those who had the highest level of body dissatisfaction measured by the BSQ, while thin and obese individuals had no significant variation in the BSQ scores when compared to the normal weight group (p>0.05). Moreover, the group of individuals who showed interest in reducing BMI showed a higher mean BSQ, when compared to the groups of individuals who showed interest in maintaining or gaining kg/m2, but with no significant difference (Table 3).

Table 3
Relation between Body Shape Questionnaire scores with body mass index and body dissatisfaction in undergraduate medical students

Regarding insight into one’s dissatisfaction with self-image, 106 (45.7%) individuals showed no body dissatisfaction, while 126 (54.3%) did show body dissatisfaction.

The binary logistic regression model (Table 4) showed that overweight-obese participants were significantly more likely to present with body dissatisfaction, measured by the BSQ, than those who were classified as thin and normal weight (odds ratio of 6.1; p=0.001). This was also verified with the variable sex, and women were more likely to be dissatisfied (odds ratio of 5.7; p=0.007). Finally, individuals who showed body dissatisfaction with the question about insight into their condition were also more likely to be dissatisfied with the assessment performed by the BSQ (odds ratio of 89.7; p<0.001).

Table 4
Binary logistic regression model for checking body dissatisfaction measured by the Body Shape Questionnaire relative to nutritional status, sex, and insight of the research volunteers

DISCUSSION

The mean overall BSQ was 91.3, higher than in all other studies that have attempted to assess the level of body dissatisfaction among male and female undergraduate medical students (74.2; 73.3; 71.9; 75.0).(1414. Di Pietro M, Silveira DX. Internal validity, dimensionality, and performance of the Body Shape Questionnaire in a group of Brazilian college students. Braz J Psychiatry. 2009;31(1):21-4.,1919. Alexandre IM, Perez MK, Ribeiro RL, Nascimento SR, Santucci VC, Martinez JE. Avaliação da imagem corporal em uma amostra de estudantes de medicina. Rev Fac Ciên Méd Sorocaba. 2013;15(3):64-7.,2020. Moreira LA, Azevedo AB, Queiroz D, Moura L, Santo DE, Cruz R, et al. Body image in a sample of undergraduate medical students from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2005;54(4):294-7.,2121. Regis JM, Ramos-Cerqueira AT, Lima MC, Torres AR. Social anxiety symptoms and body image dissatisfaction in medical students: prevalence and correlates. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2018;67(2):65-73.)

Since the present study was carried out in a context of coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic, it is relevant to consider that factors related to this scenario may have influenced the results obtained, as a bias, increasing the level of body dissatisfaction among students. Such a hypothesis is corroborated by Castro et al.,(2222. Castro BM, Trindade TB, Augusto PV, Medeiros MA, Moraes WM, Prestes J. Impacto da quarentena sobre a percepção da imagem corporal e hábitosdos praticantesde musculação. Rev Bras Med Esporte. 2021;27(1):16-20.)who, in a recent study, investigated the level of body dissatisfaction during this pandemic and presented variables, such as confinement, reduced physical exercise, and increased unhealthy diets, as intensifiers of body dissatisfaction. In another study, Swami et al.(2323. Swami V, Horne G, Furnham A. COVID-19-related stress, and anxiety are associated with negative body image in adults from the United Kingdom. Pers Individ Differ. 2021;170:110426.)verified increased stress and anxiety, generated by social isolation during the pandemic, were also related to greater body dissatisfaction.

In the validation study of the BSQ, Di Pietro et al.(1414. Di Pietro M, Silveira DX. Internal validity, dimensionality, and performance of the Body Shape Questionnaire in a group of Brazilian college students. Braz J Psychiatry. 2009;31(1):21-4.) found 86.6% of individuals who presented with body satisfaction, and there were no volunteers with severe body dissatisfaction. In the present study, only 73.7% of participants were satisfied, with two volunteers classified as having severe body dissatisfaction, showing this problem is still a reality and possibly has worsened over the years.

Although women’s BSQ results were significantly worse than men’s, as described in other studies involving health sciences students,(1414. Di Pietro M, Silveira DX. Internal validity, dimensionality, and performance of the Body Shape Questionnaire in a group of Brazilian college students. Braz J Psychiatry. 2009;31(1):21-4.,1919. Alexandre IM, Perez MK, Ribeiro RL, Nascimento SR, Santucci VC, Martinez JE. Avaliação da imagem corporal em uma amostra de estudantes de medicina. Rev Fac Ciên Méd Sorocaba. 2013;15(3):64-7.,2020. Moreira LA, Azevedo AB, Queiroz D, Moura L, Santo DE, Cruz R, et al. Body image in a sample of undergraduate medical students from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2005;54(4):294-7.,2424. Miranda VP, Filgueiras JF, Neves CM, Teixeira PC, Ferreira ME. Insatisfação corporal em universitários de diferentes áreas de conhecimento. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2012;61(1):25-32.

25. Carvalho PH, Filgueiras JF, Neves CM, Coelho FD, Ferreira ME. Checagem corporal, atitude alimentar inadequada e insatisfação com a imagem corporal de jovens universitários. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2013;62(2):108-14.

26. Ferrari EP, Gordia AP, Martins CR, Silva DA, Quadros TM, Petroski EL. Insatisfação com a imagem corporal e relação com o nível de atividade físicae estado nutricional em universitários. Motricidade. 2012;8(3):52-8.
-2727. Nilson G, Pardo ER, Rigo LC, Hallal PC. Espelho, espelho meu: um estudo sobre autoimagem corporal de estudantes universitários. Rev Bras Ativ Fis Saúde. 2013;18(1):112-20.) women’s means were similar to those already described, while men’s were considerably higher than those found in the literature.(1414. Di Pietro M, Silveira DX. Internal validity, dimensionality, and performance of the Body Shape Questionnaire in a group of Brazilian college students. Braz J Psychiatry. 2009;31(1):21-4.,1919. Alexandre IM, Perez MK, Ribeiro RL, Nascimento SR, Santucci VC, Martinez JE. Avaliação da imagem corporal em uma amostra de estudantes de medicina. Rev Fac Ciên Méd Sorocaba. 2013;15(3):64-7.,2525. Carvalho PH, Filgueiras JF, Neves CM, Coelho FD, Ferreira ME. Checagem corporal, atitude alimentar inadequada e insatisfação com a imagem corporal de jovens universitários. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2013;62(2):108-14.,2727. Nilson G, Pardo ER, Rigo LC, Hallal PC. Espelho, espelho meu: um estudo sobre autoimagem corporal de estudantes universitários. Rev Bras Ativ Fis Saúde. 2013;18(1):112-20.)This shows that the level of body dissatisfaction may be increasing among men, even though it still affects women more.

In the study, it was found that undergraduate medical students are not satisfied with their BMI and tend to desire a slimmer than their real silhouette. In this sample, only 9.5% of participants were satisfied with the relation between their weight and height. This finding is reinforced by what has already been described by Bosi et al.,(2828. Bosi ML, Nogueira JA, Uchimura KY, Luiz RR, Godoy MG. Comportamento alimentar e imagem corporal entre estudantes de medicina. Rev Bras Educ Méd. 2014;38(2):243-52.) in a cohort of undergraduate medical students in the city of Rio de Janeiro, who found 6.6% satisfaction with BMI among the participants. Moreover, in this study, most students would like to lose, on average, 2.0kg/m2 in BMI, a value similar to that of other studies evaluating undergraduate nutrition (1.5kg/m2)(2929. Silva JD, Silva AB, Oliveira AV, Nemer AS. Influência do estado nutricional no risco para transtornos alimentares em estudantes de nutrição. Cien Saude Colet. 2012;17(12):3399-406.) and medical students (2.7kg/m2 in the group of women).(1414. Di Pietro M, Silveira DX. Internal validity, dimensionality, and performance of the Body Shape Questionnaire in a group of Brazilian college students. Braz J Psychiatry. 2009;31(1):21-4.)

It was also found that 35 students wished to be thin (BMI <18.5kg/m2), 31 of whom did not belong to this stratum, and therefore four were thin and wished to remain as such. Furthermore, only 11 students would have liked to be in the overweight category (BMI ≥25.0kg/m2), while in reality, 50 volunteers were part of this group. This shows that the number of individuals who wished to be classified as thin by BMI was considerably higher than those who wished to be in the overweight-obese category, highlighting how much thinness is desired.

Some studies with undergraduate health sciences students have shown that high BMI values tend to predict a higher level of body dissatisfaction.(2424. Miranda VP, Filgueiras JF, Neves CM, Teixeira PC, Ferreira ME. Insatisfação corporal em universitários de diferentes áreas de conhecimento. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2012;61(1):25-32.,2626. Ferrari EP, Gordia AP, Martins CR, Silva DA, Quadros TM, Petroski EL. Insatisfação com a imagem corporal e relação com o nível de atividade físicae estado nutricional em universitários. Motricidade. 2012;8(3):52-8.,3030. Silva LP, Tucan AR, Rodrigues EL, Del Ré PV, Sanches PM, Bresan D. Insatisfação da imagem corporal e fatores associados: um estudo em jovens estudantes universitários. einstein (São Paulo). 2019;17(4):1-7.

31. Bandeira YE, Mendes AL, Cavalcante AC, Arruda SP. Avaliação da imagem corporal de estudantes do curso de Nutrição de um centro universitário particular de Fortaleza. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2016;65(2):168-73.

32. Mazzaia MC, Santos RM. Risk factors for eating disorders among undergraduate nursing students. Acta Paul Enferm. 2018;31(5):456-62.

33. Souza AA, Souza JC, Hirai ES, Luciano HA, Souza N. Estudo sobre a anorexia e bulimia nervosaem universitárias. Psic Teor Pesq. 2011;27(2):195-8.

34. Kakeshita IS, Almeida SS. Relationship between body mass index and selfperception among university students. Rev Saude Publica. 2006; 40(3):497-504.
-3535. Legnani RF, Legnani E, Pereira EF, Gasparotto GS, Vieira LF, Campos W. Transtornos alimentares e imagem corporal em acadêmicos de Educação Física. Motriz Rev Educ Fís. 2012;18(1):84-91.) This result was also found in this study, and the individuals classified as overweight were the most dissatisfied with their body image, including two volunteers with severe body dissatisfaction. Kakeshita et al.,(3434. Kakeshita IS, Almeida SS. Relationship between body mass index and selfperception among university students. Rev Saude Publica. 2006; 40(3):497-504.)in their study with undergraduate students in the city of Ribeirão Preto (SP), also showed overweight volunteers were the most dissatisfied, but this finding differs from that of Kesller al.,(3636. Kesller AL, Poll FA. Relação entre imagem corporal, atitudes para transtornos alimentares e estado nutricional em universitárias da área da saúde. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2018;67(2):118-25.) who found the highest BSQ means in normal weight individuals.

Another evidence that shows greater severity of the problem is that 22.3% of normal weight individuals had some degree of body dissatisfaction (BSQ >110). This percentage was lower than that found in other studies,(3636. Kesller AL, Poll FA. Relação entre imagem corporal, atitudes para transtornos alimentares e estado nutricional em universitárias da área da saúde. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2018;67(2):118-25.

37. Costa LC, Vasconcelos FA. Influence of socioeconomic, behavioral, and nutritional factors on dissatisfaction with body image among female university students in Florianopolis, SC. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2010;13(4):665-76.
-3838. Duarte LS, Chinen MN, Fujimori E. Autopercepção distorcida e insatisfação com a imagem corporal entre estudantes de enfermagem. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2021;55:e03665.) but even so, it represents a large portion of individuals who, even within the expected BMI values, do not feel satisfied with their body image.

Although medical students are considerably dissatisfied with their body self-image, no significant difference was found between body dissatisfaction and the cycles in which the participants were studying at the time of the survey. This finding is similar to other studies,(1919. Alexandre IM, Perez MK, Ribeiro RL, Nascimento SR, Santucci VC, Martinez JE. Avaliação da imagem corporal em uma amostra de estudantes de medicina. Rev Fac Ciên Méd Sorocaba. 2013;15(3):64-7.,2121. Regis JM, Ramos-Cerqueira AT, Lima MC, Torres AR. Social anxiety symptoms and body image dissatisfaction in medical students: prevalence and correlates. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2018;67(2):65-73.)showing the problem tends not to change throughout medical training.

With the binary logistic regression model, we found a 6.1-fold increase in overweight students with body dissatisfaction. This finding is higher than that reported in other studies(2121. Regis JM, Ramos-Cerqueira AT, Lima MC, Torres AR. Social anxiety symptoms and body image dissatisfaction in medical students: prevalence and correlates. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2018;67(2):65-73.,2424. Miranda VP, Filgueiras JF, Neves CM, Teixeira PC, Ferreira ME. Insatisfação corporal em universitários de diferentes áreas de conhecimento. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2012;61(1):25-32.,3535. Legnani RF, Legnani E, Pereira EF, Gasparotto GS, Vieira LF, Campos W. Transtornos alimentares e imagem corporal em acadêmicos de Educação Física. Motriz Rev Educ Fís. 2012;18(1):84-91.,3737. Costa LC, Vasconcelos FA. Influence of socioeconomic, behavioral, and nutritional factors on dissatisfaction with body image among female university students in Florianopolis, SC. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2010;13(4):665-76.) and similar to that reported among undergraduate nutrition students in the city of Ouro Preto (MG).(2929. Silva JD, Silva AB, Oliveira AV, Nemer AS. Influência do estado nutricional no risco para transtornos alimentares em estudantes de nutrição. Cien Saude Colet. 2012;17(12):3399-406.) This tendency to be dissatisfied with the body, considered overweight, reinforces the stigmatization of this pattern, which is not restricted to health issues. Women were also more likely to present body dissatisfaction with a proportion 5.7 times higher than that of men. This chance of risk was higher than the one found by Silva et al.,(3939. Silva TR, Saenger G, Pereira EF. Fatores associados à imagem corporal em estudantes de Educação Física. Motriz Rev Educ Fís. 2011;17(4):630-9.) (odds ratio of 2.2; p<0.001) among undergraduate physical education students in Southern Brazil and lower than that reported by Regis et al.,(2121. Regis JM, Ramos-Cerqueira AT, Lima MC, Torres AR. Social anxiety symptoms and body image dissatisfaction in medical students: prevalence and correlates. J Bras Psiquiatr. 2018;67(2):65-73.) among undergraduate medical students in Botucatu (odds ratio of 13.5; p<0.05). This variation is probably due to cultural beliefs, social media, diets, level of physical activity, and other factors that make up the body image construct,(1919. Alexandre IM, Perez MK, Ribeiro RL, Nascimento SR, Santucci VC, Martinez JE. Avaliação da imagem corporal em uma amostra de estudantes de medicina. Rev Fac Ciên Méd Sorocaba. 2013;15(3):64-7.,3535. Legnani RF, Legnani E, Pereira EF, Gasparotto GS, Vieira LF, Campos W. Transtornos alimentares e imagem corporal em acadêmicos de Educação Física. Motriz Rev Educ Fís. 2012;18(1):84-91.,4040. Leal GV, Philippi ST, Alvarenga MS. Unhealthy weight control behaviors, disordered eating, and body image dissatisfaction in adolescents from São Paulo, Brazil. Braz J Psychiatry. 2020;42(3):264-70.) but reveal that, in any case, women are the most dissatisfied with their own bodies.

This is the first study that brings an additional investigative question, designed by the authors, which aimed to evaluate the perception (insight) of body dissatisfaction by the volunteers. With the analysis of the values found in the binary logistic regression, this statement seems to predict more chances of body dissatisfaction measured by the BSQ (odds ratio of 89.7; 95%CI: 11.8-680.0; p<0.001) when the individuals answer that they were often or always dissatisfied with their own body in the previous month. Thus, this question seems to be useful to help health professionals at times when the BSQ or other scales that aim to measure body dissatisfaction cannot be applied due to time constraints, since it takes about 10 minutes to answer the questionnaire. This is a preliminary conclusion that needs to be reproduced and validated in future studies.

One of the limitations of this study concerns its methodological transversality, making cause and effect relations impossible. There was no control or evaluation of other variables, such as ethnicity, income, physical activity, diet, and other factors that contribute to the formation of the body image construct. Another limitation was the participants’ self-reported anthropometric measurements, which, although valid, are not necessarily accurate. It is also noteworthy the weight/height relation that generates the BMI has, by nature, the limitation of not differentiating lean mass from fat mass, so that some values may be under- or overestimated.(4141. Witt KA, Bush EA. College athletes with an elevated body mass index often have a high upper arm muscle area, but not elevated triceps and subscapular skinfolds. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105(4):599-602.) Finally, the results expressed in this study cannot be generalized to the entire population of undergraduate medical students, since the study was carried out in only one college.

Although there are limitations, this study is relevant because it gives a dimension of body dissatisfaction in undergraduate medical students of a private college, and is similar to findings already described in the literature. This is essential, since the physician is one of the professionals involved in the management of people with body image disorders, and it is crucial for good training and assistance to be aware and informed about these problems.

In the literature, studies that evaluate the body image of undergraduate medical students are scarce. In this sense, the reproduction of this type of work in other educational organizations is essential for comparisons that are more reliable with the findings already published on the subject. Furthermore, longitudinal methodological designs are essential for the development of causal relations among the variables that form the body image construct. Finally, we suggest the reproduction and validation of the question about the insight of individuals regarding body dissatisfaction in future studies.

CONCLUSION

Being dissatisfied with body image is a reality among undergraduate medical students who tend to value the thin body over other standards. Individuals with insight into their body dissatisfaction are more likely to have worse Body Shape Questionnaire scores. It was also observed that women and other overweight participants are significantly more dissatisfied than men and those who are not overweight. However, the dissatisfaction presented by male students and by normal weight students is equally worrisome, and shows a problematic panorama regarding the beauty ideal of these individuals.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To the Faculdade de Ciências Médicas e da Saúde de Juiz de Fora and Hospital e Maternidade Therezinha de Jesus, for allowing the study to be carried out, as well as for encouraging research, by means of the Introduction to Scientific Research scholarship offered to the authors of this work; to all undergraduate students involved in the research, who dedicated their time to answer the questionnaire.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    06 May 2022
  • Date of issue
    2022

History

  • Received
    6 Apr 2021
  • Accepted
    20 Aug 2021
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