Relationships among body image, eating behaviour, and psychological health of University of Ghana students (original) (raw)
Related papers
The study examines the relationship among body image, eating behavior, and psychological health among undergraduate students of University of Ghana. A total of 140 students comprising males (n=70) and females (n=70) from collectivistic cultures (n=117) and individualistic cultures (n=23) were conveniently sampled as respondents for the study. Questionnaires containing Body Image Scale (BIS), Eating Attitudes Test-16 (EAT-16), and the General Wellbeing Schedule (GWB) were administered to the respondents. The analyses of data revealed a significant positive relationship between body image and eating behavior, but a negative relationship between body image and psychological health. There was no significant relationship between age and body image and no significant sex differences in body image, eating behavior and psychological health.. Culture had a significant influence on body image and psychological health. Students from individualistic cultures had a more positive body image, but a poorer psychological health than those from collectivistic cultures. These findings are discussed with references to the literature.
Body Image and Eating Disorders among Female Students: A Pilot Nutritional Psychology Study in Ghana
Body image and eating disorders have emerged as an essential facet of bio-psychosocial wellbeing. Although considered less prevalent in Ghana than in the West, body image and eating disorders are issues of global concern. One hundred (100) female participants with a mean age of approximately 21 years were recruited after informed consent for this pilot study. Results showed a positive correlation between body image and eating disorders. In addition, there was no significant difference between the levels of university education on female body image and eating distortions in Ghana. These findings underscore the importance for more future studies in nutritional psychology and related clinical management.
The Pan African medical journal, 2023
The study investigated the relationship between body image dissatisfaction, nutritional status, and eating attitudes in adolescents from a small town of the interior of São Paulo State. A total of 278 adolescents (106 boys and 172 girls) aged between 15 and 18 years had completed measures of body image dissatisfaction through the Figure Rating Scale and eating attitudes by the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and had their weight and height measured. Girls related more dissatisfaction and abnormal eating behavior than boys and, in both genders the abnormal eating attitudes tend to increase with increasing dissatisfaction. Moreover, dissatisfaction was higher between those individuals classified as overweight and obesity. These results demonstrated that body image dissatisfaction and inappropriate eating behaviors afflict boys and girls even from small cities in developing countries, highlighting the need to undertake epidemiological studies to early recognition of populations at risk of developing eating disorders.
Journal of Physical Education and Sport Management, 2021
Body image perception has become a public health issue globally. Positive or negative feelings about one self can be influenced by individual and environmental factors. Research has shown that dissatisfaction with body image can have an impact on an individual's quality of life including an individual's self-esteem, interpersonal confidence, eating and exercise behaviours. This study investigated the relationship between body image, self-esteem and health behaviour and explored factors affecting body image among senior high school students in the Offinso Municipality of the Ashanti Region. A cross-sectional design with multistage sampling techniques was used to select 561 students for the study. Basic descriptive statistics such as percentage counts, frequencies, Pearson Correlation and regression analysis were used to analyse the data. Findings showed a significant relationship between body image and self-esteem (r=.587), no significant relationship between body image and health behaviour (r =-.002), and also between self-esteem and health behaviour (r = .057). Family influence (β =.361, p =.000) was the strongest predictor of body image. There were gender differences in body image (t (553) =-5.124, p = .000, eta = .43), self-esteem (t (553) =-5.530, p = .000, eta = .47) and health behaviour (t (553) =-2.083, p = .038, eta = .18) among students. Students who have body image concerns are more likely to have low self-esteem, whiles family could be important in helping students develop positive body image.
Factors Influencing Body Image Perception of University Students in Ghana
Technium Social Sciences Journal
This study aimed to find out the perception of University of Cape Cost students about their body image and the factors which influenced their body image perception. Cross-sectional descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A sample of 380 students was used for the study through the proportional stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected by using questionnaire adapted from the instrument of Pop (2016). A Cronbach co-efficient alpha of 0.821 was obtained indicating that the instrument was reliable. Mean and standard deviation were used in analysing the data. The study revealed that the respondents did not see themselves as having the perfect body shape, were not satisfied body shape and size and were not satisfied with their weight. Overall, the respondents had poor body image. The study revealed also that media and peer influences were the main factors which influenced body image perception among the students. The other identified factors were society and cu...
Objective: In this study, we aimed to determine perception, thoughts and behaviors on nutrition and body image of students who have just started their university education, and study their relationships with anthropometric measures, food intakes and feelings about nutrition and body image. Material and Methods: A total of 157 students attending the first classes of Health (n:77) and Social (n:80) Sciences Departments of Ondokuz Mayıs University were included in this study. A questionnaire on demographic characteristics and some psychometric tests (Beck Depression Inventory, Eating Attitudes Test-40 and Beck Anxiety Inventory) were applied to all participants along with some anthropometric measurements. SPSS for Windows 10.0 Statistical Package Computer Program was used for the evaluation of all data. Results: Eating Attitudes Test Scores in females were significantly higher than males (17.67±7.85 vs. 12.68±5.30; p=0.005 respectively). Beck Anxiety Inventory score was significantly higher in students having any disease in their first degree relatives (18.44±10.10 vs. 13.38±8.67; p=0.002). When the relationships between psychometric tests with age and body weight were examined, depression and anxiety scores showed significant negative correlation only with age (p=0.005). In female students, the ratios of insufficiencies for daily carbohydrate and fat intakes along with energy intake were in high levels. Conclusion: Female students were more prone to develop eating disorders. Students with any health problems in their first degree relatives significantly preferred health sciences education. The results of this study must be taken into consideration by families, educators and social media in order to decrease the incidence of eating disorders since these affect physical and mental health of the adolescents adversely.
Body Image and Eatiing Behaviiors among Ell-Miiniia Uniiversiity Students
Assiut Scientific Nursing Journal, 2013
body image and eating behavior have been major concern for adulthood especially among college students. In this study, we aimed to know body image concern among college students and assess the relationship between body image and eating behavior among university students. Subjects and Methods: cross-sectional study of 495 male and female students enrolled in first and fourth grade from practical and non practical faculties randomly selected completed a questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic characteristics, Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-34) and Body Figure Rating Scale (BFRS). Results: The majority of male and female students have normal weight and average body mass index, Females choose (thin figure, very thin and below average, respectively) as a current shape which represent their body shape. While males choose shape (below average and thin figure) as current shape. Females were significantly more feeling anxious, overweight, and concerned about their body shape than males (p=0.001, 0.01 and 0.04, respectively). Conclusions: Based on the results of the present study, it was concluded that about more than half of participants have normal weight according BMI. The present study found that females were more concerned about their body shape more than males. Body shape concerns among females were associated with anxiousness, feeling overweight, and preoccupation with food and purging behavior. Recommendations: health education about body image and its effect on psychological status and eating behaviors of the students and how to deal with negative body image.
The research investigated religiosity and socioeconomic background as correlates of body image distortion among Obafemi Awolowo University undergraduates in Osun state, Nigeria. A total of 379 undergraduates (189 females and 190 males) were selected from the University for the study using stratified random sampling method. The research method used was descriptive survey method. Primary data was collected with the aid of questionnaires which had four sections. The data collected were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. From the result, it was revealed that there was no significant relationship between religiosity and body image (r =-.06, p >.05); perception of body image was significantly and jointly predicted by socioeconomic status (F (3,374) =15.15; p<.001); there was no significant difference between male and female on their body image (t (378) = 1.29; p> 0.05); and age did not significantly predict body image perception ( = .02; t = .38; p>0.05). The findings of the study will go a long way in helping various stakeholders and government agencies in establishing various educational programms that can be used to change the attitudes of people positively in the way they perceived their body. However, it is important that more research should be conducted to confirm the reliability and validity of these findings. The study achieved the objective of examining the prevalence of body image as well as the influence of other variables on body image distortion. In conclusion, the study possesses the potential benefits to psychotherapist, counselors, psychologists and the general public. Introduction Increase in overweight and obesity in children and adolescents in recent decades in Africa and industrialized countries have been observed. The related health risk factors, such as the overconsumption of food and a sedentary lifestyle, have received considerable attention. According to Thomas (2010), the predominant ideal weight and body image are thinness and obesity. While thinness conveys a sense of health and power, obesity is held to show a lack of care for health and appearance (Brown and Konner, 1987 as cited in Thomas 2010).
Eating Habits and Body Image Perceptions of Senior High School Students
2019
The study aims to examine the common eating habits of Senior High Students and their perception towards their body image whether it affects their self-perception and self-esteem or not. The researchers used a descriptive-correlational research design. A total of 274 respondents were chosen to participate in the study through stratified random sampling. The researchers adapted a revised version of BIQ-1 in determining the self-esteem and self-perception and Eating and Dietary habits questionnaire for eating habits of Senior High School students with the use of 5 point-Likert scale. Results shows that female has higher mean of 3.08 compared to male which has 3.06 in terms of eating habits. In terms of the students’ self-esteem, a mean of 2.40 is gathered with an average description. Lastly the student’s self-perception has a mean of 2.32 which also has a high description. From the data gathered, the researchers concluded that sex do not affect the eating habits of a person since there were no significant difference between the eating habits of male and female students accepting the study’s Ho. Additionally there is no relationship between the self-esteem and self-perception of students towards their body image thus accepting Ho, which gives the researcher a conclusion that body image does not affect one’s well-being generally. Researchers highly recommend that students should adopt proper eating habits, the community should promote proper awareness, health organizations should provide activities that could be more of us and future researchers should study the external factors that can affect the study.