Ruma Satwik

Gynaecologist

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

Conversation with a 30-year-old woman in rural Maharashtra. The year is 2000. The interviewer is 23 years old, heads a Primary Health Centre in a small village in Miraj taulka and knows just some basic Marathi to get by.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

@shahidapatla No, the study was limited to the age group of 40-60. Our results suggest a past history of depression being a significant predictor of current poor body image. On low self esteem and poor body image, the paper gives an adjusted odds of 5 of the two coexisting.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

On the importance of body image in middle-aged Indian women. And why should we be talking about it?

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

Where I talk about the challenge of limited reproductive spans in women and when not to panic.

[amrita tripathi @amritat]

Why is it so hard to get non-sensationalist information around fertility – it’s either the fear factor or the fog of ignorance. I talk to the wise Dr @SatwikRuma about myths, misconceptions and trends. We have *some good news about aging too.
Full video: https://t.co/mjYFKRXQD5

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

https://t.co/LDntfx1Z45,≥%2010%2C%20of%2017.4%25.
@sinhadipa

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

https://t.co/sByPdV1Oeq

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

Predictors of poor body image were lower education status, a history of traumatic event(s) in the past 6 months, BMI > 30 kg/m2, presence of multiple disease morbidities, poor social support structure and a history of treatment for a mental health condition

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

Our study has a few limitations. While the sample size was powered to determine prevalence, it was insufficient to assess individual effects of various sociodemographic or health factors on body image.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

It may be stated that body image is an important but understudied concept in middle-aged women. Understanding its prevalence and predictors may help in designing future interventions to improve body image and consequently alleviate low self-esteem and depression in this subset

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

Responses received have been in two languages from regions and cities across the country and therefore are likely to be representative of a wide demographic of women.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

However, the online and anonymous nature of this survey may have encouraged more truthful responses.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

Also, a cross-sectional survey may not reflect a concept that may change with passing time. There are limitations posed due to interview-based as opposed to record-based data collection.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

Our results suggest that one of two Indian women is dissatisfied with her body in her mid-life but it translates into poor body image in one in six women.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

Its effect on self-esteem and depression was established by correlation analysis and adjusted odds ratios.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

Body dissatisfaction rates were assessed by responses to the question “Do you feel dissatisfied with your body?”
Socio-demographic, reproductive and mental health predictors of poor body image were determined statistically by using logistic regression analysis.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

Body image scale has 9 questions on self-perceived physical and sexual attractiveness and any social avoidance as a result of this perception. Scores are obtained by adding responses graded on a scale from 0-3. Scores of >=10 were taken as suggestive of a poor body image.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

It was a cross-sectional survey of 372 Indian women aged 40-60 years, using an online questionnaire. It sought to examine 4 questions: prevalence of poor body image, body dissatisfaction rates, its sociodemographic predictors and its correlation with self esteem and depression

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

Body-image is defined as an individual’s appraisal of the body and its function. It is an important part of our identity, changing as our bodies go through change over time, fashioned by our sensory and behavioral experience, societal norms and reactions of others.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

We therefore undertook a study to look at a cohort of midlife Indian women and examine how their lived environments, cultures, sociodemographic and reproductive factors fashioned their body image, self-esteem and depression rates.

[Ruma Satwik @SatwikRuma]

So it’s difficult to make comparisons with the global West or to understand the importance of body image in women from this part of the world.