An epidemiological study on body perception imaging and lifestyle behaviors among adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic in a rural area of West Bengal

Background: Adolescence is the intermediary linking phase from childhood to adulthood. Physical, sexual, psychological and social developmental changes during this period. Adolescence is a period of increased awareness of bodily cues and self-reflection, including evaluation of one’s own body and appearance. Body misconception and body dissatisfaction, two very important potential causative factors of bad nutritional status of adolescents, have not been adequately investigated in rural India. 

Aims and Objectives: The present study on adolescents was conducted to assess the lifestyle factors and degree of dissatisfaction and misconception of their body. 

Materials and Methods: An observational, descriptive, and community-based cross-sectional study was conducted by interviewing adolescents residing in the field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata, during the months of March–April, 2022. The data were analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. 

Results: A total of 239 respondents were interviewed (74.1% male and 25.9% female). About 47.3% were early adolescents, 46.4% were middle adolescents, and rest 6.3% were late adolescents. About 56.5% was indulged in some kind of exercise. According to the total adolescent body image satisfaction scale score, 66.5% seemed to be satisfied with their body image. Body image dissatisfaction was associated with participants’ age, gender, socio-economic status, and type of family. 

Conclusion: It is evident from the study that girl children, adolescents of the lower socio-economic status group, and middle, and late adolescents are more prone to be dissatisfied with their body image. Hence, they need to be given extra focus for restoration of their mental health.