Multidimensional Examination of Factors Determining Body Image Among Women of Reproductive Age in Hungary

OBJECTIVES: Body image (BI) is a multidimensional concept including self-perception and related attitudes. The purpose of this study was to assess body mass index (BMI), the severity of premenstrual symptoms (PMS), physical activity (PA), time spent sitting and sleeping, and sleep quality (SQ) as factors affecting BI and to determine how the aforementioned factors affect the development of positive or negative BI.

METHODS: 291 women (reproductive age between 18-45 years) participated in the cross-sectional research. The average age of the respondents was 27.16±0.36 years. To assess BI, PA, SQ, BMI, and PMS, several validated, standard questionnaires were used, namely the Body Appreciation Scale, the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Sleep Quality Scale and the Premenstrual Assessment Form-Short Form questionnaire. The results were analysed with IBM SPSS version 28.0 software, a multivariate linear regression model was used to examine the relationships, significance level was set at p<0.05.

RESULTS: The average BMI of the participants was 22.77±3.93 kg/m². On the Body Appreciation Scale, the respondents achieved an average of 44.64±10.99 points, the average score for sleep quality was 35.23±12.55 points, while the average total score of the PMS questionnaire was 29.50±9.57 points. The participants spent an average of 206.00±455.44 minutes in recreational PA and 3015.56±1428.86 minutes in sitting for a period of one week. Our multivariate linear regression model (R2=0.238; F=22.321; p<0.001) confirmed that BMI (p<0.001), PMS (p<0.001), SQ (p<0.001) and physical inactivity (p= 0.008) have a significant effect on BI.

CONCLUSIONS: With regard to women's health, our results showed that BI development is significantly influenced by BMI and the strength of PMS, as well as the time spent sleeping and sitting, which determine 24-hour PA.