Assessment of body image disturbance and disordered eating behaviors among undergraduate medical students: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Background: Medical students undergo academic stress and extensive working hours that predispose them to develop unhealthy eating habits. There is very little published literature on body type and eating behaviour in a non-Western context. Some consider an eating disorder to be a cultural disorder unique to Western society. Additionally, westernized body image standards and notions of fear of obesity, complemented with insistence by peers, are influencing the eating habits of current youth, making them more prone to eating disorders. There is relatively little Indian literature in this field. Aim: To assess body image disturbance and disordered eating behaviours among male and female undergraduate medical students. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at a tertiary care rural medical college hospital in Maharashtra. A total of 199 final MBBS students participated in the study after giving their written, informed consent. Personalized questionnaires, eating attitude tests, and body shape questionnaires were applied. The obtained data were analyzed to be statistically significant. Results: We found that female medical students indulge in overeating when feeling depressed or down, which was significantly more than the male students. They also reported eating more junk food as compared to the male medical graduates. Concerning abuse in medical students, male medical students were more likely to be abused physically as compared to females, whereas sexual abuse was seen more commonly in female medical students. A significant difference was also noted in substance use (male medical students more than female medical students). Conclusion: There are significant levels of body image disturbances and disordered eating behaviours seen in medical undergraduate students in India.