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      Body Image Concern and its Correlates among Male and Female Undergraduate Students at Assuit University in Egypt

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          Abstract

          Introduction:

          This cross-sectional study examined variables associated with body image concern (BIC) and whether these associations differed between female and male students in Egypt. During the period 2009-2010, 3271 undergraduate students (1663 females, 1504 males) at Assuit University in Egypt completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed BIC and other socio-demographic and health related variables.

          Methods:

          Based on Cooper et al.’s Body Shape Questionnaire the authors categorized BIC into ‘no BIC’; ‘mild BIC’; and ‘moderate/marked BIC’. Multifactorial linear regression analysis examined the association between BIC and BMI, body image perception, lifestyle (physical activity, nutrition, smoking) and mental well-being variables (quality of life, finances-related stress, perceived stress, perceived health, depressive symptoms).

          Results:

          About 40% of the female students and 25.6% of male students reported having mild to marked BIC. The correlates of BIC did not exhibit striking differences between male and female students. For both genders, BIC was positively associated with BMI, body image perception as being too fat and with depressive symptoms. Self-rated health was inversely associated with BIC.

          Conclusion:

          These findings suggest that health promoting strategies should address the co-occurrence of depressive symptoms and BIC, and should furthermore pay due attention to higher prevalence of BIC among female students.

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          Most cited references51

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          Emerging adulthood. A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties.

          J Arnett (2000)
          Emerging adulthood is proposed as a new conception of development for the period from the late teens through the twenties, with a focus on ages 18-25. A theoretical background is presented. Then evidence is provided to support the idea that emerging adulthood is a distinct period demographically, subjectively, and in terms of identity explorations. How emerging adulthood differs from adolescence and young adulthood is explained. Finally, a cultural context for the idea of emerging adulthood is outlined, and it is specified that emerging adulthood exists only in cultures that allow young people a prolonged period of independent role exploration during the late teens and twenties.
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            Physical Activity and Public Health: Updated Recommendation for Adults From the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association

            In 1995 the American College of Sports Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published national guidelines on Physical Activity and Public Health. The Committee on Exercise and Cardiac Rehabilitation of the American Heart Association endorsed and supported these recommendations. The purpose of the present report is to update and clarify the 1995 recommendations on the types and amounts of physical activity needed by healthy adults to improve and maintain health. Development of this document was by an expert panel of scientists, including physicians, epidemiologists, exercise scientists, and public health specialists. This panel reviewed advances in pertinent physiologic, epidemiologic, and clinical scientific data, including primary research articles and reviews published since the original recommendation was issued in 1995. Issues considered by the panel included new scientific evidence relating physical activity to health, physical activity recommendations by various organizations in the interim, and communications issues. Key points related to updating the physical activity recommendation were outlined and writing groups were formed. A draft manuscript was prepared and circulated for review to the expert panel as well as to outside experts. Comments were integrated into the final recommendation. To promote and maintain health, all healthy adults aged 18 to 65 yr need moderate-intensity aerobic (endurance) physical activity for a minimum of 30 min on five days each week or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 20 min on three days each week. [I (A)] Combinations of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity can be performed to meet this recommendation. [IIa (B)] For example, a person can meet the recommendation by walking briskly for 30 min twice during the week and then jogging for 20 min on two other days. Moderate-intensity aerobic activity, which is generally equivalent to a brisk walk and noticeably accelerates the heart rate, can be accumulated toward the 30-min minimum by performing bouts each lasting 10 or more minutes. [I (B)] Vigorous-intensity activity is exemplified by jogging, and causes rapid breathing and a substantial increase in heart rate. In addition, every adult should perform activities that maintain or increase muscular strength and endurance a minimum of two days each week. [IIa (A)] Because of the dose-response relation between physical activity and health, persons who wish to further improve their personal fitness, reduce their risk for chronic diseases and disabilities or prevent unhealthy weight gain may benefit by exceeding the minimum recommended amounts of physical activity. [I (A)]
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              Food consumption frequency and perceived stress and depressive symptoms among students in three European countries

              Background Certain foods might be more frequently eaten under stress or when higher levels of depressive symptoms are experienced. We examined whether poor nutritional habits are associated with stress and depressive symptoms and whether the relationships differ by country and gender in a sample from three European countries collected as part of a Cross National Student Health Survey. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among first-year students in Germany (N = 696), Poland (N = 489) and Bulgaria (N = 654). Self-administered questionnaires included a 12-item food frequency questionnaire, Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale, and a modified Beck Depression Index. Linear regression analyses were conducted for two outcomes, perceived stress and depressive symptoms. Results Food consumption frequencies differed by country and gender, as did depressive symptoms and perceived stress. For male students, none of the food consumption groups were associated with perceived stress or depressive symptoms. In females, perceived stress was associated with more frequent consumption of sweets/fast foods and less frequent consumption of fruits/vegetables. Additionally, depressive symptoms were associated with less frequent consumption of fruits/vegetables and meat. Conclusion Our data show consistent associations between unhealthy food consumption and depressive symptoms and perceived stress among female students from three European countries, but not among male students. This suggests that efforts to reduce depressive symptoms and stress among female students may also lead to the consumption of healthier foods and/or vice-versa.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Glob J Health Sci
                Glob J Health Sci
                Global Journal of Health Science
                Canadian Center of Science and Education (Canada )
                1916-9736
                1916-9744
                September 2014
                16 May 2014
                : 6
                : 5
                : 105-117
                Affiliations
                [1 ]Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Gloucestershire, Gloucester, United Kingdom
                [2 ]Unit for Health Promotion Research, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
                [3 ]Faculty of Nursing, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
                Author notes
                Correspondence: Walid El Ansari, Professor of Public Health, University of Gloucestershire, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Oxstalls Campus, Oxstalls Lane, Gloucester GL2 9HW, United Kingdom. Tel: 44-124-271-5274. E-mail: walidansari@ 123456glos.ac.uk
                Article
                GJHS-6-105
                10.5539/gjhs.v6n5p105
                4825528
                25168990
                8f9acf22-3158-46c2-83f5-8d7911ce7132
                Copyright: © Canadian Center of Science and Education

                This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

                History
                : 24 March 2014
                : 29 April 2014
                Categories
                Articles

                egypt,body image concern,gender,student health,depressive symptoms

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