Study by IIPHG student finds weight most important issue, followed by skin colour
A study conducted by a student of Masters in Public Health at the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG) has stated that women, irrespective of their age, suffer from body image issues. It found that weight and complexion are most commonly perceived as issues in relation to body image.
The study, titled Perceptions, Determinants & Consequences of Physical Appearance Amongst the Female Students of Higher Educational Institutions in Gujarat was undertaken as part of a dissertation.
It covered postgraduate and PhD students of Central University of Gujarat, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University and IIPHG.
The study found that weight seemed to be the most important aspect among various perceptions of body image and a few of the respondents equated weight with beauty.
"It was interesting to discover that body image concerns prevail even among adults. We found that almost 60% of the respondents had body image issues," said Preeti Bhandari, the student who conducted the study.
About complexion, the study found that almost everyone perceived that fair complexion is ideal especially in the Indian context. "Complexion of a person overshadows the person and is perceived to be associated with class, status and especially caste," said the study.
Falguni Vasavada-Oza, a professor with MICA who has given a TEDx talk on body positivity, said: "Forget PG and PhD students, I know of accomplished women in their 50s who suffer from body image issues."
"Our films, magazines and even comic books portray good, evil and others with certain skin colours and body types. So, we start giving our physique more importance than it is worth," she added.
"A woman's achievements, even those of a PhD scholar, are overshadowed by her body image. Self-acceptance is the best way to deal with it," she said.
The study found...
- Overall perception is that physical appearance matters
- There is strong affinity towards the ideal body figure
- There's a clear-cut notion that is if a woman is dressed traditionally, she is thought to be conservative
- On the other hand, women dressed in western attire are looked at as modern and liberal
- The discussion revealed that an ideal body plays an important role whether one is looking for a partner or a job promotion.
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