| dc.description.abstract | INTRODUCTION: The successive increase in female life expectancy has
fostered a gradual interest in issues related to female aging. Among them, the
perception of body image can have important consequences on health and
quality of life, being related to conditions such as depression, eating disorders,
low self-esteem and self-confidence. Thus, knowing the relationship in which the
women’s aging maintains with her body and its possible implications on her
quality of life are fundamental for health professionals to consider, in their
routines, the impact that this can cause on the physical, psychological, emotional
and mental, dimensions aiming, always, the best health carefor women in the
aging process. OBJECTIVES: 1) To analyze the relationship between body
image and quality of life in middle-aged women; 2) To investigate the relationship
between weight gain and body image perception in menopausal and elderly
women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out with a sample of
women aged between 40 to 80 years old, living in Parnamirim/RN and Santa
Cruz/RN. Sociodemographic data, anthropometric and body composition
measurements, hormonal and biochemical measurements, hypertension,
depression, reproductive history, physical activity, quality of life and body image
perception were collected. For the statistical analysis, Multiple Linear Regression
Analysis was performed for the UQoL domains and the total score was adjusted
by the covariables who presented p <0.20 in the bivariate analysis. In addition,
the identification of possible factors associated with poor perception of body
image was performed by binary logistic regression analysis, with a corresponding
odds ratio (OR) calculation. It was considered p <0.05 at all stages of the
statistical analysis. RESULTS: Body image perception was related to all domains
of quality of life, including total score, except for the occupational domain.
Women who were dissatisfied due to the low weight, when compared to those
satisfied with their body image, presented significantly lower scores in the health,
emotional and total Uqol scores. Those who were unsatisfied with excess weight
had lower Uqol scores for the health, emotional, sexual domains as well as the
total score compared to those satisfied with body image. Regarding the variables that relate to poor perception of body image, we have: BMI, total cholesterol,
physical activity and parity, all with p values lower than 0.05. The results show
that with each increase in BMI, women were 1.27 times more likely to be
dissatisfied with their body image, as well as women with borderline and high
cholesterol (OR = 2.48). In addition, women who do not regularly exercise were
2.35 times more likely to be dissatisfied with their body image, while the highest
number of children was a protection factor in relation to poor body image
perception OR = 0,83. CONCLUSION: The dissatisfaction with body image is
related to poorer quality of life in middle-aged and elderly women. In addition,
those women with higher BMI, borderline and high cholesterol and those who do
not practice physical activity are more likely to be dissatisfied with their body
image. | |
