Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2017;39(4):175-183
The objective of this study was to investigate the self-esteem of women with and without breast cancer regarding their body image.
A quantitative, case-control study in which 90 women with breast cancer were evaluated in the case group, and 77 women without breast cancer in the control group. For data collection, the body satisfaction scale (BSS), a scale adapted and validated in Brazil, and the Rosenberg self-esteem questionnaire were used. For the statistical analysis of the data, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (IBM-SPSS, Chicago, Il, US), version 16.0 was used.
Compared with the women without breast cancer, those with breast cancer were more dissatisfied with body image related to appearance. Women undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy were more dissatisfied with their appearance compared with those with cancer who were not undergoing this treatment. Mastectomy also accounted for more dissatisfaction concerning appearance among women who underwent the procedure compared with the women who were submitted to breast-conserving therapy.
Women with breast cancer were more dissatisfied with their body image compared with those without breast cancer, particularly following mastectomy or during chemotherapy. The self-esteem was found to be negatively affected in patients who were dissatisfied with their body image.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2015;37(12):585-592
DOI 10.1590/S0100-720320150005481
To assess attitudes about eating, weight gain and body image of pregnant adolescents.
Pregnant adolescents (n=67) were assessed using the Body Image Questionnaire, the Attitude towards Weight Gain during Pregnancy scale (AWGP) and questions about risk behaviors for eating disorders and unhealthy weight control practices. Associations between variables were analyzed by ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, Pearson and Spearman tests. The influence of the independent variables regarding skipping meals, body satisfaction and binge eating was evaluated by logistic regression.
The average age of the adolescents was 15.3 years (SD=1.14) and their average gestational age was 21.9 weeks (SD=6.53). The average AWGP score was 52.6 points, indicating a positive attitude towards weight gain, and 82.1% of the pregnant girls were satisfied with their bodies. Obese girls had more body dissatisfaction (p=0.001), and overweight girls thought more about food (p=0.02) and eating (p=0.03). The frequency of reported binge eating was 41.8%, and the frequency of skipping meals was 19%. Regression analysis showed that the current Body Mass Index (p=0.03; OR=1.18) and the importance of body awareness and fitness before pregnancy (p=0.03; OR=4.63) were predictors of skipping meals. Higher socioeconomic level (p=0.04; OR=0.55) and greater concern with weight gain (p=0.03; OR=0.32) predicted binge eating.
Even though the majority of the pregnant adolescents had positive attitudes toward weight gain and body satisfaction, those heavier and more concerned with weight gain had a higher risk of unhealthy attitudes, while those of lower social class, less concerned with weight gain and less embarrassed about their bodies during pregnancy, had a lower risk of unhealthy attitudes.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2015;37(10):473-479
DOI 10.1590/SO100-720320150005354
To validate the instrument Body Image Relationship Scale (BIRS) for Brazilian women with breast cancer
The instrument was administered by trained interviewers to 139 women who used the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). All of them had been submitted to cancer treatments between 2006 and 2010. The instrument was validated considering internal consistency and reliability. In order to compare the techniques, the same factorial analysis as used in the original paper was carried out
The Spearman-Brown correlation value was 0.8, indicating high internal reliability. The Cronbach's alpha found was 0.9, indicating a high level of internal consistency. Factorial analysis showed that four items had low factorial load and no discriminatory power, and another five items were relocated to other factors. When the instrument was applied, it showed variability to that of the original instrument
The Brazilian version of the Body Image Relationship Scale (BIRS), namedEscala de Relacionamento e Imagem Corporal (ERIC), showed evidence of adequate reliability and internal consistency, making this instrument suitable to be recommended for application to Brazilian women with breast cancer, despite some limitations.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2015;37(7):319-324
DOI 10.1590/S0100-720320150005388
To compare body attitudes of pregnant women in various body mass index categories, during different gestational periods and under gestational risk conditions, as well as to analyze the association of the study variables with the body attitudes of pregnant women.
We included 386 pregnant women in all gestational periods, aged 18 to 46 years (mean 29.32±6.04 years ), who attended prenatal care in the public and private sectors of a city in Southeastern Brazil, excluding women with incomplete data. The instruments for assessment were "Body Attitudes Questionnaire", "Critério de Classificação Econômica Brasil", and a sociodemographic questionnaire. In addition, anthropometric and obstetric data were collected. Descriptive, comparative, and correlational statistical analyses were performed.
The body attitudes of pregnant women were similar in all pregnancy trimesters (F=0.39; p=0.9). Negative body attitudes increased gradually among low weight (108.2±12.5), appropriate weight (116.2±16.0), overweight (125.1±14.3), and obese (132.9±16.4) groups, and among pregnancy women with normal (120.0±17.1) and high-risk pregnancies (124.9±16.7). The sociodemographic, economic, and obstetric variables did not influence the variance of body attitudes. The body mass index explained 11.3% of the variance of body attitudes in pregnant women.
Nutritional status and risk conditions showed an association with negative body image and should therefore be evaluated in pregnant women for a better maternal and child health.