A STUDY ON ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BODY IMAGE AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS AMONG COLLEGE-GOING LATE ADOLESCENT GIRLS

Abstract

How individuals feel and think about their bodies is related to their body image. In contemporary culture, adolescents want to achieve a flawless body image by gaining or losing weight due to the developing perception of ideal body image. The study examined the association between body image and nutritional status among college-going adolescent girls. A cross-sectional study among 179 adolescent girls was carried out in Banaras Hindu University and Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth University, Varanasi, India. The study's findings showed that 79.3% of the respondent's BMI is within normal range, and 16.7% of the sample population falls into the overweight category. 69.8% of the respondents reported being indifferent to their body shape. In comparison, 15.6% of the population is slightly concerned about their body shape, and the sample population's moderate concern with their body shape is 10%. In this study, a highly significant association was observed (p < 0.001) between nutritional status and the body image concern of the assessed adolescents. The study recommended that it is vital that individual understands the significance of maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically fit. It is essential to raise women's self-confidence and reduce their vulnerability to unfavourable conditions for their overall well-being.