Factors associated with body image dissatisfaction among medical students: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Body image is a multidimensional construct influenced by sociocultural, behavioral, and psychological factors, with body image dissatisfaction being frequent among university students, particularly medical students. This study aimed to evaluate the association between body image dissatisfaction and sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychological factors, with emphasis on social media use, physical activity practice, and burnout syndrome. This was an observational, cross-sectional, quantitative study conducted with medical students from a private institution in the interior of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Body image dissatisfaction was assessed using the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and burnout using the Burnout Syndrome Assessment Scale for University Students (ESB-eu). Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed, including chi-squared test, Student's t-test, ANOVA, multiple linear regression, and binary logistic regression, adopting a significance level of 5%. The prevalence of body image distortion was approximately 25%. Significant associations were observed between body image distortion and sex, physical activity practice, social media usage time, and burnout. In the logistic regression, greater social media usage time increased the odds of distortion by 40%, while the presence of burnout increased the odds approximately 4.68-fold. It is concluded that body image dissatisfaction was primarily associated with behavioral and psychological factors, highlighting the importance of mental health promotion strategies in the university environment.