Body Discomfort and Dissatisfaction Among Nutrition Students in Merida, Yucatan: a Mixed-methods Approach

Abstract

Over the years, increasing emphasis has been placed on body image among young people, creating an artificial link between aesthetics and health. This perception has been influenced by family, friends, and social media. The objective of this work is to describe and analyze the elements that nutrition undergraduate students report regarding body image dissatisfaction and discomfort. A mixed-methods study comprised by a survey of 60 nutrition students and an ethnographic study involving six participants was held. Body dissatisfaction was found in 17 % of the students and body discomfort in 75 %. The results show that body image concerns begin in adolescence and persist into adulthood, influenced by external comments, social interactions with family and friends, and by the media. Stereotypes persist even though professional studies generate greater awareness of the issue. Body dissatisfaction results from a complex interaction between various elements related to family, image construction during youth, and beauty ideals among nutrition students.