title: Body image perception and its association with body mass index and nutrient intakes among female college students aged 18-35 years from Tabriz, Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies have shown that body image perception is an important factor in weight management and can be influenced by several social or cultural factors in Western or non-Western societies; however, body image perception and its nutritional and demographic determinants in Iran have not been extensively studied. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate body image perception and its socio-demographic and nutritional determinants among female university students in Tabriz City of Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the current cross-sectional survey, 184 female students aged 18-35 years from Tabriz, Iran, were enrolled. Anthropometric variables including weight, height, waist and hip circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) and waist to hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. Body image perception and distortion were assessed by Figure Rating Scale (FRS) developed by Stunkard consisting of nine silhouettes. Nutrition intake was assessed by a 3-day 24-h dietary recall method and analyzed by Nutritionist IV software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the participants in the underweight (41.66%), normal weight (67.71%) and overweight (57.14%) categories of BMI selected the thinnest figure as their desirable or ideal body image perception. The total prevalences of body image dissatisfaction and distortion were 51.63% and 64.13%, respectively. Subjects who had undistorted body image perception consumed more time for physical activity and had more night sleeping hours compared with others (P < 0.05). Subjects who perceived themselves as being of normal weight had significantly lower intake of total fat and saturated fatty acids and higher intakes of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) compared with other groups (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to our findings, female participants had a higher tendency to consider thinness as the preferred body image style. Persons with undistorted body image perception had healthy nutritional status compared with others. Due to high prevalence of body image dissatisfaction, the need for appropriate interventional programs to prevent the associated co-morbidities is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Beitullah
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alipour
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. abbasalizad_m@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mahdieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abbasalizad Farhangi
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Parvin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dehghan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alipour
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014495:Universities; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body image; Body mass index; Dietary intake; Thinness