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Body dissatisfaction among university students – An integrative review

ABSTRACT

Objective

To characterize body dissatisfaction among university students.

Methods

Integrative literature’s review on databases PubMed, Lilacs, Bireme, portal SciELO and thesis data using indexed keywords with inclusion criteria: exclusively college students population, featuring directly data about frequency/prevalence of body dissatisfaction and/or characterization of related factors.

Results

Seventy-six studies were selected (40 national and 36 international). The body dissatisfaction wide range in both sexes was from 8.3% to 87% in national studies, and from 5.2% to 85.5% in international; evaluated, primarily, by silhouettes scale and/or questionnaires (as the Body Shape Questionnaire, Eating Disorder Inventory and Body-Self Relations Questionnaire Appearance Scales). Factors like media and social networking service exposition, menstrual period, and low self esteem were related to body dissatisfaction.

Conclusion

Body dissatisfaction is a common phenomena among college students, but featuring wide range depending on sex, instrument, method and study’s objective. Construct evaluation’s standardization is necessary in order to better comprehend and discuss the problem.

Body image; student; adult; review

Instituto de Psiquiatria da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Av. Venceslau Brás, 71 Fundos, 22295-140 Rio de Janeiro - RJ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 21) 3873-5510 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil
E-mail: editora@ipub.ufrj.br