Relationship Between Body Image Concerns and  Eating Disorder Risk, Social Fear and Quality of  Life in School and College Girls

R M Sobana; P Mohamed Nisha; H Shafia Banu; B Jishnu Deva

R M Sobana Associate Professor, Department of PG Studies & Research in Home Science, JBAS College for Women, University of Madras, Chennai, India
P Mohamed Nisha Associate Professor, Department of PG Studies & Research in Home Science, JBAS College for Women, University of Madras, Chennai, India
H Shafia Banu Assistant Professor, Department of PG Studies & Research in Home Science, JBAS College for Women, University of Madras, Chennai, India
B Jishnu Deva Student, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India

Keywords: Body Image Concerns (BIC), Eating Disorder Risk (ED), Social Fear (SF), Qualityof life (QoL), School and College Girls

Abstract

Introduction: Body image concerns involve negative perceptions and attitudes about body size and shape. It is a significant public health concern linked to emotional distress, low self-esteem, depression, and eating disorders (ED), particularly among adolescent females.
Objectives: To examine the impact of body image concerns on eating disorder risk, social fear and quality of life among female students aged 15–21 years.
Method: A sample of 400 school and college girls was surveyed, those with body image concerns were selected for further analysis of ED risk, SF and QoL using a modified, pretested questionnaire, and the data
were statistically analysed.
Results:The study found that 40.4% of participants had negative body image concerns, with schoolgirls (24.4 ± 3.4) showing a higher prevalence than college girls (25.9 ± 3.1). Eating disorder risk and combination(ED &SF) were more common among schoolgirls, while social fear prevalence was similar in both groups. Both groups reported poor quality of life, but schoolgirls with body image concerns had significantly lower quality
of life linked to ED risk (t = 3.96**) and combination of ED risk & SF (t= 2.75**). No significant difference was observed in quality of life for SF alone. A strong negative correlation was found between quality of
life and ED risk (r = -0.31*, -0.28*) or SF (r = -0.46*, -0.34*), but not for those with both ED risk and SF.
Conclusions: The study highlights how negative body image concerns contribute to other problems and affect the quality of life of female students. Interventions like self-monitoring, healthy eating, exercise, media literacy, self-esteem building, and psychoeducation can help reduce body image dissatisfaction.

How to cite this article:
Sobana R M, Nisha P M, Banu H S, Deva B J.
Relationship Between Body Image Concerns and
Eating Disorder Risk, Social Fear and Quality of
Life in School and College Girls. Chettinad Health
City Med J. 2025;14(2):25-31.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202520

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