Abstract
A high prevalence of body image dissatisfaction has been observed among adolescents over the last decades. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between body image dissatisfaction and demographic factors in adolescents. The sample consisted of 405 boys and girls (247 from an urban area and 158 from a rural area) aged 14 to 17 years enrolled in public schools of a small-sized municipality. The demographic variables analyzed were gender (male, female), age (14-15 years, 16-17 years), and area of residence (urban, rural). The perception of body image was evaluated using a figure rating scale. The prevalence of body image dissatisfaction was 56.5%. Both girls (26.5%) and boys (39.5%) wished to have a larger body silhouette. An association was observed between body image dissatisfaction and gender, with boys showing a 1.24 times higher chance (95%CI: 1.05-1.47) of body image dissatisfaction than girls. The prevalence of body image dissatisfaction is high even among adolescents from small-sized municipalities. Body image dissatisfaction is more prevalent among boys. Healthcare workers and teachers should be aware of the importance to encourage youngster to better understand themselves and their body and to reflect about current body images. 1 1 1,3 2 1
Highlights
Body image dissatisfaction is defined as the negative assessment of one’s physical appearance[1] and is generally diagnosed by means of figure scales and questionnaires[2]
The final sample consisted of 405 adolescent boys and girls, including 247 from urban areas and 158 from rural areas
When body image dissatisfaction was dichotomized into the desire to reduce or to increase body silhouette size, both boys (39.5%) and girls (26.5%) wanted to increase their body size (Table 1)
Summary
Body image dissatisfaction is defined as the negative assessment of one’s physical appearance[1] and is generally diagnosed by means of figure (body silhouette) scales and questionnaires[2]. The beautiful body concept has undergone various transformations over the years. Beauty standards, which are influenced by the media, require increasingly thinner anthropometric profiles for women and stronger profiles for men[3]. Growing attention is paid to bodies shaped by physical exercise, plastic surgery, and esthetic technologies[4]. According to the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery[5], Brazil occupied second place after the United States in terms of the annual number of plastic surgeries performed in 2004. A worrisome fact is that most interventions were due to esthetic reasons and 11% of these procedures were performed in adolescents aged 14 to 18 years
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