Evaluation of body perception in medical school students

Objectives: Body perception is how one sees oneself. From infancy, it is shaped by various factors and is related to self-esteem. This perception may be different from the actual state of the body. Compliance of body perception with body condition (BMI) which can be measured objectively is called correct body perception. People with the right body perception may exhibit rational attitudes and behaviors related to health. This allows us to take precautions in advance for future somatic and psychological diseases. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the body perceptions of university students by comparing them with weight, height measurements and body mass indexes and to determine the factors affecting body perception. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted on students of Istanbul Medical Faculty. Students were asked to fill out a questionnaire questioning their body perceptions and possible factors that could affect them, their weight and height were measured, their BMI values were calculated. According to these measurements, students were classified into three groups as 'underweight', 'normal' and 'overweight or obese'. Those who were compatible with their body perceptions and their BMI Group were identified as those who had the right body perception and those who did not had the wrong body perception. Results: A total of 376 students who agreed to answer the questionnaire and take measurements participated in the survey. 49.2% of the students were girls and 50.8% were boys. According to BMI, 15.2% of participants were underweight, 65% normal and 19.8% overweight or obese. 66.6% of the participants were found to have the correct and 33.4% had the wrong body perception. When we looked at the groups according to weight, the proportion of people with correct body perception was found to be 60% in the underweight, 76.5% in the normal and 59% in the overweight or obese. Conclusions: The perception of body may be different from the actual body measurements of the individual. Gender and social view have an effect on body perception. Lifestyle habits such as diet and exercise are affected by body perception.