A STUDY ON PREVALENCE OF BODY IMAGE DISSATISFACTION AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS

Body image refers to an individual’s emotional attitudes, perceptions and beliefs regarding their own body .This study investigates the prevalence of body image dissatisfaction among adolescents and young adults in Thiruvalla Taluk ,using a cross-sectional descriptive study, data were collected from 500 over a six-month period through a predesigned questionnaire and google forms with Contour drawing figure rating scale(FRS).Key findings revealed a significant prevalence of body image dissatisfaction, with 56.44% of females and 43.56% of males reporting dissatisfaction. Females exhibited higher levels of dissatisfaction compared to males. Specifically, 31.91% of adolescent males were inclined to gain weight, whereas 40.51% of adolescent females preferred to be thinner. Among young adults, 40.54% of males aimed to gain weight, while 38.46% of females aimed to lose weight. Overall, young adults showed higher dissatisfaction (74.49%) compared to adolescents. These results underscore the need for targeted interventions to address body image concerns, considering the significant impact of gender, age, and lifestyle factors on body image perception.