ABSTRACT

Body image is an individual’s self-perceptions and attitudes about his or her physical appearance, leading to either satisfaction or dissatisfaction. This study determined the body image perception, dietary habit and anthropometric status among female university students in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State.

This study was a cross sectional survey that comprised the sample of 361 female college students aged between 17-34 years old randomly selected and completed a questionnaire on their body image perception, dietary habits and anthropometric measurements. Anthropometric parameters provide a lot of information about body composition and nutritional status (Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference were the taken anthropometric measurements). Data collected were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Students that perceived themselves as normal, overweight, underweight, and obese were 67.9%, 14.7%, 8.9%,7.5% and 1.15% respectively. The dietary habit of the students revealed that 80.6% of the respondents skip meals and the meal skipped was beakfast (42.3%).  The prevalence of obesity and overweight recorded 1.9% and 15.0%, respectively. Meanwhile, 72.6% of the university female students were categorized as having normal weight. Furthermore, 59.0% of the female college students were found to be at risk of abdominal obesity. There was no significant correlation between body image dissatisfaction with BMI. Altering body image perception and required moderate-intensity physical activity should be promoted within weight loss program among college female students also knowledge on weight management, eating habit should be increased among undergraduates through nutrition education.