The Effect of Body Shaming of Fat and Thin Individuals on Mental Health of Age Group 18 To 23 Years

Introduction

“Looking glass upon the wall, who is fairest of us all?” The judgment of one’s appearance is a common phenomenon, which some individuals try to avoid, while others actively seek for it.¹ There is dramatic transition of physical, mental, sexual, psychological and social developmental changes from childhood to adulthood with marked Long-term effects of these turbulent years may arise for the person, particularly in terms of mental health. Hanson (2020) says that “….the feeling of body shame is therefore in conversation with societal expectations of how a body should be or look, arising when people consider their body as lying outside the constructed definition of the acceptable body.”²

During adolescent phase, an individual grows overtly conscious about their own looks and physical appearance. One way to define body shaming, weight shaming or appearance-based harassment is when someone is made fun of or humiliated for the way they look. With the growing ‘influencers’ concept on social media, rampant preaching by them, about their perceived way on how one should look, adolescents, in this impressionable yet immature age, are getting sucked into the idea of an ‘ideal body’. This results in the public humiliation of those who do not fit this stereotype due to their appearance. Low self-esteem, low body dissatisfaction, and depressive symptoms are expected outcomes of body shaming, which is consistent with the increasing amount of research highlighting the detrimental effects of appearance-based harassment on young people. Previous studies have connected psychological disorders like sadness and shame.³

Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder are persistently preoccupied with one or more defects or flaws in their bodily appearance that are either unnoticeable or noticeable to others they indulge in repetitive and excessive behaviors with repeated examination of their appearance. Marked avoidance of social situations with excessive attempts to camouflage or alter the perceived defect, or triggers that increase distress.

“Dysmorphophobia” is classified under DSM-III-R and appeared in ICD-10 and also incongruous inclusion term under hypochondriasis, clinicians diagnose it as a delusional disorder where beliefs are considered delusional. Because of its distinct symptomatology, prevalence similarities to obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRD), body dysmorphic disorder are included in the ICD-1135.⁴

Various definitions of BS are found in non-scientific internet sites like; body shaming can be defined as “inappropriate negative statements and attitudes toward another person’s weight or size”. BS is the act or inaction of subjecting someone to shame and criticism because of their physical characteristics. In its broadest sense, BS may even include shaming of tattoos, piercings, and diseases that leave a physical mark, like psoriasis. The scope of BS is vast and also includes fat-shaming, shaming for thinness, small breasts, height-shaming, one's muscularity (or lack of), hairiness (or lack of), hair color, body shape, shaming of penis size or breast size, shaming of looks (facial features), and even shaming of tattoos and piercings.⁵

The prevalence rate globally was found to be 25% to 35%. In the study conducted at Lucknow by Dr. Rahul the prevalence of BS was found to be 44.9%.³ BS on social media emphasizes physical attractiveness and makes it simple to make nasty remarks about others.

The overarching message is that a person should strive for an ideal figure and find ways to conceal the defects. This might have a significant impact on body image. A similar type of body shaming is seen in digital platforms as cyberbullying, there are different methods to fight back, overcome grief and agony, and recover a sense of self-worth.⁵

Materials and Methods

This is an observational study conducted at A. M. Shaikh Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital. A self-structured questionnaire to assess the impact of BS on mental health was distributed amongst 100 students.

Inclusion criteria

Students of 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, final year and interns of A. M. Shaikh Homoeopathic Medical College of both sexes who gave consent for the study were included.

Exclusion criteria

Students suffering from BS because of causes other than obesity and thin personality were excluded.

Results

Out of 100 respondents, 32% belong to the age group 18-19 yrs., 32%, 20-21 yrs., and 36% were between 22-23 yrs (Figure 1). Out of which 73% were female, and 27% were males (Figure 2). 43% were worried about their looks, 55% were not, and 2% can’t say anything (Figure 3). 38% had an effect of appearance in daily life, and 62% didn’t have any effect (Figure 4).72% spent less than 1 hour in worrying about their appearance, 14% 1-3 hrs. a day, 3% more than 3 hours. And 11% didn’t worry. In relation to food intake, 31% were affected, 69% were not, 21% were sad, depressed, and hopeless and had low self-esteem, and 79% did not get affected (Figure 5). 7% had suicidal thoughts whereas 93% were not (Figure 6).

Discussion

This study was conducted to determine the impact of body shaming on mental health in students between the age group 18 to 23 years. A self-structured questionnaire was prepared which included questions regarding their looks; impact on their day-to-day activities, due to appearance, there’s feelings of sadness, depression, hopelessness, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts. 100 students participated, even though the affected individuals are less in percentage, but BS has an impact of the mental health of a few participants.

Conclusion

According to this study, BS has ramifications for an individual. Based on the data, it can be concluded that body shame has a mental impact on some individuals. Some people actively highlight another person's anxieties with BS. Study findings reveal that having more regard for oneself and feeling self-conscious about our looks is a method to how self-compassion copes with being body shamed. Individuals require a better understanding of their own and other people's desires rather than harshly evaluating their own and others' appearances. This study included a small group of medical students, so a large multicenter survey is to be conducted to determine the impact of BS on Mental health.

Conflict of Interest

None