title: Body image concern and its correlates among male and female undergraduate students at Assuit University in Egypt.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: University of Gloucestershire, Faculty of Applied Sciences. walidansari@glos.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: El Ansari
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dibba
authors.forename: Shokria
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Labeeb
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004032:Diet; D004534:Egypt; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D010465:Perception; D011788:Quality of Life; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult