Niveles de insatisfacción corporal en mujeres adultas del casco urbano de la ciudad de Cuenca en el periodo académico marzo-agosto 2021

Abstract

Body dissatisfaction in adult women is a phenomenon that has generated an impact because of the different social factors that promote beauty standards. This has been a problem for the well-being of women of all ages regarding the shape, volume and appreciation of her own body. In Ecuador there are studies on this subject and have been conducted among teenagers, these studies have shown that a high body dissatisfaction levels are present. It is important to mention that the construction of cognitive and emotional aspects regarding the corporal image are dynamics and build up throughout the different stages of life. Over this basis, the objective of this study is to describe the body dissatisfaction levels in adult women living in the urban zone of Cuenca according to the following variables: age, physical activity, and feeding habits. The research presented a quantitative approach of non-experimental design, transversal with descriptive scope. The people involved were: 429 women between 24 and 60 years old coming from the urban zone of Cuenca, whose information was collected through a sociodemographic file and by the use of a “Body Shape Questionnaire” (BSQ). The results showed that 53% of adult women presented body dissatisfaction at different levels, besides that they were involved in physical activities, diets and with the purpose to lose weight they consume chemical or natural products. In conclusion, adult women maintain behaviors associated with the ideal of thinness.